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Environmentally induced changes in sensory sensitivities.
B Berglund1, T Lindvall, S Nordin
1Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|April 30, 1992
Summary
Psychophysical methods assess sensory changes from indoor air quality, revealing olfactory and auditory effects in smokers. Calibration of intensity scales is crucial for accurate health and comfort assessments.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Sensory Science
- Psychophysics
Background:
- Psychophysical methods provide models for studying sensory sensitivity changes.
- Human senses can characterize indoor environments regarding health and comfort.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) uses sensory data for exposure limits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To apply psychophysical methods to indoor air quality (IAQ) assessments.
- To investigate the effects of air pollution on sensory functions in smokers and passive smokers.
- To present methodological findings for improved psychophysical measurements.
Main Methods:
- Utilized psychophysical methods to evaluate sensory responses to IAQ.
- Conducted studies on smokers and passive smokers to assess olfactory and auditory effects.
- Developed and presented a unified estimation procedure for detectability and perceived intensity.
Main Results:
- Identified significant olfactory and auditory effects in smokers and passive smokers.
- Demonstrated the feasibility of obtaining detectability and perceived intensity data concurrently.
- Highlighted the necessity of calibrating intensity scales for individual scaling behavior.
Conclusions:
- Psychophysical methods are effective tools for assessing IAQ impacts on human senses.
- Individual calibration of sensory scales, like the master scale principle, is essential for accurate measurements.
- Findings support using sensory data for health and comfort evaluations in environmental settings.