<b>Multidimensional analysis of twenty‐one odors</b>

TLDR

Understanding how multidimensional analysis applies to olfaction is essential for interpreting whether the sense of smell is analytic or synthetic. The study applied multidimensional scaling to odor perception to uncover basic psychophysical dimensions of odorants matched in intensity but differing in quality. Results revealed distinct individual odor spaces, with large inter‑subject variability preventing a common odor space, and identified a hedonic dimension unrelated to physical attributes that may be as important as physical properties in judging odor similarity. Berglund, B., Berglund, U., Engen, T., & Ekman, G.

Abstract

Berglund, B., Berglund, U., Engen, T., &amp; Ekman, G. 1 Multidimensional analysis of twenty‐one odors. Scand. J. Psychol., 1973, 14, 131–137.‐The present paper reports an experiment on the application of multidimensional scaling to the sense of smell for the purpose of revealing basic psychophysical dimensions of odorants matched in perceived intensity and varying only in perceived quality. The results showed clear evidence for the existence of individual odor spaces, but in apparent contradiction to related studies in the literature individual differences were too large to establish a representative odor space for the whole group. For nearly all individual subjects one of the factors extracted seemed to represent a unique hedonic dimension apparently unrelated to the physical attributes of the odorants. It is suggested that such psychological factors may be as important a basis for the judgment of the similarity of odors as the physical attributes of the odorants. Both the interpretation of multidimensional analysis and the extent to which the sense of smell is analytic or synthetic depend on an understanding of this problem.