How Scents Influence Visual Perception of Movement
A fascinating study by Tsushima et al. (2021) suggests that scents can alter visual motion perception—without prior learning! 🧠
🔍Key Findings from the Study
📍Scent Modulates Motion Perception
Participants exposed to a lemon scent 🍋 perceived motion as slower, while those exposed to a vanilla scent 🍦 perceived motion as faster—even though the actual motion speed was identical!
📍Brain Imaging Shows Crossmodal Effects
fMRI scans revealed that scent exposure modulated activity in the V1 (primary visual cortex) and hMT (motion processing area)—key brain regions responsible for processing movement. This shows that scent doesn’t just evoke memories or emotions—it can physically alter how we perceive visual stimuli. 👀💡
📍Why Does This Happen? Possible Explanations
✔️Internal Timing Mechanism Hypothesis: The researchers suggest that lemon may have increased the speed of participants’ internal clocks, making motion seem slower, while vanilla may have slowed down the internal clock, making motion seem faster.
✔️Attention Hypothesis (Ruled Out): The authors initially considered that lemon might have captured more attention than vanilla, affecting perception. However, fMRI data did not support this.
✔️Symbolic or Semantic Associations (Ruled Out): Despite common associations of lemon with speed, participants actually saw motion as slower when exposed to it—suggesting that cognitive associations alone cannot fully explain the effect.
🌍Why This Matters for Neuromarketing
💡Scent Influences Perception—Beyond Just Mood and Emotion
Traditionally, citrus scents like lemon are known for their energizing effects, while vanilla is linked to relaxation. However, this study suggests that scent may also shape how consumers perceive movement and time—potentially impacting brand experience.
💡Practical Applications
✔️Could specific scents influence how consumers experience retail spaces? For example, in a luxury boutique, a scent that slows motion perception (like lemon in this study) may encourage longer browsing and a more immersive experience.
✔️Could scents be used in advertisements to create different perceptual effects? A vanilla-infused environment might make a high-energy sportswear brand seem even faster in video ads or in-store displays.
✔️These findings highlight the importance of testing crossmodal sensory marketing strategies, as traditional scent associations may not always align with their perceptual effects.
✨️Key Takeaway
Scents are more than just branding tools for emotions and memory— they can alter our visual perception! Understanding these crossmodal effects could give brands a powerful new way to shape consumer experiences.
📖 Tsushima, Y., Nishino, Y., & Ando, H. (2021). Olfactory Stimulation Modulates Visual Perception Without Training. Frontiers in neuroscience, 15, 642584. https://lnkd.in/dryqMMDQ
