Ambient odors influence the amplitude and time course of visual distraction.
Behavioral performance was examined in a task of attentional capture by luminance under conditions of ambient odors (phenyl ethyl alcohol [PEA], olfactory stimulus, and allyl isothiocyanate [AIC], mixed olfactory/trigeminal stimulus). The AIC increased the amplitude and duration of capture, whereas the presence of PEA led capture to disappear. Furthermore, the PEA caused a general slowing in the speed of information processing. The amplitude and time course of capture were correlated to the irritating components of these odorants, whereas a control experiment showed that the general slowing caused by the PEA was correlated to a drop-off of the subjects' arousal level. These results suggest that ambient odors may exert differential influence of visual-attentional processes and that this influence may depend on the odor's properties.
Michael
George Andrew
GA
Department of Cognitive Experimental Psychology, Université Lumière-Lyon 2, Lyon, France. George.Michael@univ-lyon2.fr
Jacquot
Lawrence
L
Millot
Jean-Louis
JL
Brand
Gérard
G
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017879:Isothiocyanates / Q000494:pharmacology; D009812:Odorants; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol / Q000494:pharmacology; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D017879:Isothiocyanates; C004471:allyl isothiocyanate; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol