Congruent Sound Can Modulate Odor Pleasantness

Abstract

This study aimed to determine 1) whether certain background sounds can be matched with specific odors and 2) whether the background sounds can increase pleasantness for their congruent odors. In Experiment 1, congruent sounds increased odor pleasantness, but not odor intensity, significantly more than incongruent sounds. Experiment 2 demonstrated that certain background sounds can be paired with specific odors. For example, cinnamon, clove, and orange odors were rated significantly more congruent with a Christmas carol compared with the sound of brushing teeth and/or the beach sound. The congruent sounds increased odor pleasantness significantly more than incongruent sounds. Similarly, the congruent sound-induced odor pleasantness was observed in Experiment 3. As participants judged the pair of odor and sound to be more congruent, they rated the odor significantly more pleasant. Congruent sound assisted participants in identifying and in being familiar with the odor, thereby leading to an increase in odor pleasantness. However, the congruent sound-induced odor pleasantness was not obtained in all odors. In conclusion, this study provides new empirical evidence that pleasantness ratings for odors can increase in the presence of their congruent sounds.

Crossmodal effect of music and odor pleasantness on olfactory quality perception

“…In their recent review, Deroy et al (2013) suggested that one potential explanation for the existence of crossmodal correspondences between auditory and olfactory stimuli may sometimes be related to the hedonic properties of the stimuli presented in the two modalities (see also Stevenson et al, 2012 ). As Marks (1978 , p. 181) indicated, sensory qualities “ talk over their common feeling .” This notion has also been supported by recent research pointing to the idea that the emotional (hedonic) similarity between olfactory and auditory information may be crucial to both crossmodal correspondences and multisensory information processing (see Seo and Hummel, 2011 ; Crisinel and Spence, 2012 ; Hanson-Vaux et al, 2013 ).…”

“… Seo and Hummel (2011) reported that olfactory stimuli (such as the smell of coffee) were rated as more pleasant when paired with congruent sounds (i.e., when listening to the sound of drinking coffee in this example) as compared to incongruent sounds, and that the hedonic valence associated with the sounds can be transferred crossmodally, and thus influence people’s odor evaluations. Interestingly, however, no crossmodal effect on the perceived intensity of the odors was reported.…”

“… Deroy et al (2013) recently suggested that people may use descriptors or attributes that are normally associated with other sensory modalities such as pitch, brightness, and sweetness to describe olfactory stimuli/percepts because of the various crossmodal correspondences that exist between the senses. It is interesting to note, though, that the crossmodal interactions that link olfactory and auditory stimuli have received far less attention than, for example, those that exist between vision and audition ( Seo and Hummel, 2011 ). Nonetheless, over the last couple of decades, researchers have started to document the existence of a number of crossmodal correspondences between olfactory and auditory stimuli.…”

“… Seo and Hummel (2011) reported two experiments in which they assessed the effect of auditory stimulation on the perceived pleasantness and intensity of odors. In their first study, they investigated whether auditory cues that were semantically congruent with the olfactory stimuli (sounds that were crossmodally better matched to the odors, i.e., the smell of potato chips while listening to the sound of crunching crisps) would modulate the perceived intensity and pleasantness of the odor.…”

A bittersweet symphony: Evidence for taste‐sound correspondences without effects on taste quality‐specific perception

“…Nevertheless, there have been reports on the influence of sound on chemosensation, including taste and smell, despite their lack of an inherent auditory property. For example, congruent sounds influence odor pleasantness (Seo, Lohse, Luckett, & Hummel, ) likely as a result of a Halo effect, that is that hedonic properties of sounds transfer to odors, leaving odor intensity unaffected (Seo & Hummel, ).…”