Human Olfactory Perception: Characteristics, Mechanisms and Functions

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dc.contributor.advisorPomerantz, James R.en_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberChen, Deniseen_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberLogan, Jessica M.en_US
dc.creatorChen, Jenniferen_US
dc.date.accessioned2013-09-16T14:56:11Zen_US
dc.date.accessioned2013-09-16T14:56:14Zen_US
dc.date.available2013-09-16T14:56:11Zen_US
dc.date.available2013-09-16T14:56:14Zen_US
dc.date.created2013-05en_US
dc.date.issued2013-09-16en_US
dc.date.submittedMay 2013en_US
dc.date.updated2013-09-16T14:56:15Zen_US
dc.description.abstractOlfactory sensing is ubiquitous across animals and important for survival. Yet, its characteristics, mechanisms, and functions in humans remain not well understood. In this dissertation, I present four studies on human olfactory perception. Study I investigates the impact of short-term exposures to an odorant on long-term olfactory learning and habituation, while Study II examines human ability to localize smells; Study III probes visual-olfactory integration of object representations, and Study IV explores the role of olfaction in sensing nutrients. Several conclusions are drawn from these studies. First, brief intermittent exposures to even a barely detectable odorant lead to long-term incremental odorant-specific habituation. Second, humans localize smells based on gradient cues between the nostrils. Third, there is a within-hemispheric advantage in the integration of visual-olfactory object representations. Fourth, olfaction partakes in nutrient-sensing and facilitates the detection of food. Some broader implications of our findings are discussed.en_US
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen_US
dc.identifier.citationChen, Jennifer. "Human Olfactory Perception: Characteristics, Mechanisms and Functions." (2013) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/71936">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/71936</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.slug123456789/ETD-2013-05-422en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/71936en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.subjectOlfactionen_US
dc.subjectSmellen_US
dc.subjectHabituationen_US
dc.subjectLocalizationen_US
dc.subjectVisionen_US
dc.subjectBinocular rivalryen_US
dc.subjectTasteen_US
dc.subjectMultisensory integrationen_US
dc.subjectSystemsen_US
dc.subjectCognitive neuroscienceen_US
dc.titleHuman Olfactory Perception: Characteristics, Mechanisms and Functionsen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.materialTexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentPsychologyen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineSocial Sciencesen_US
thesis.degree.grantorRice Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen_US
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