Introduction

In the present study, we assessed crossmodal associations between odors and both color and shape, with particular interest in the principles beneath these mappings. We hypothesized that visual associations of odors would primarily reflect observable features of a smelling object and thus vary with different source assumptions of the very same smell.

Methods

We asked 30 participants to visualize their odor associations on a drawing tablet, freely deciding on color and shape. Additionally, subjects provided ratings on perceptual and shape-related dimensions as well as a verbal label for each sample.

Results

With respect to color selection, the results confirmed a source-based mapping approach: odors rated as familiar were associated with very particular colors that typically resembled the appearance of their source. For less familiar odors, color selection was rather inconsistent but still then went along with assumed odor objects. Shape ratings changed with odor identifications as well, but considerably less than for color associations. Shape ratings and shape drawings produced very different results. While shape ratings were unlikely rooted in the mental imagery of a shape, drawings frequently displayed concrete objects that depended on odor label.

Conclusions

Results confirm the existence of stable odor–vision correspondences and suggest that language plays a major part in mediating these mappings. The frequently assumed hedonic foundation of crossmodal matchings could not be confirmed for this stimuli set.

Implications

Odor sensations may trigger odor naming spontaneously. Assumptions about an odor’s identity, as well as the multisensory knowledge we have acquired on it, affect the visual associations of an odor.

中文翻译：

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嗅觉和视觉之间的交叉模式关联：气味的颜色和形状可视化

介绍

在本研究中，我们评估了气味与颜色和形状之间的交叉模式关联，尤其对这些映射下的原理感兴趣。我们假设气味的视觉关联将主要反映气味对象的可观察特征，因此会因气味相同而来源不同的假设而有所不同。

方法

我们要求30位参与者在绘图板上可视化他们的气味关联，自由决定颜色和形状。此外，受试者为每个样本提供了感知和与形状相关的尺寸等级以及语言标签。

结果

关于颜色选择，结果证实了一种基于来源的映射方法：被评定为熟悉的气味与非常特殊的颜色相关，这些颜色通常类似于其来源的外观。对于不太熟悉的气味，颜色选择相当不一致，但是仍然与假定的气味对象一起出现。形状等级也随气味识别而变化，但远小于颜色关联。形状等级和形状图产生了截然不同的结果。虽然形状评级不太可能扎根于形状的心理意象，但工程图经常显示依赖于气味标签的具体对象。

结论

结果证实了稳定的气味-视觉对应关系的存在，并表明语言在介导这些映射中起主要作用。对于这种刺激集，无法确定经常被假定为跨峰匹配的享乐基础。

含义

异味可能会自发触发气味。关于气味身份的假设以及我们从中获得的多感官知识会影响气味的视觉关联。