In olfactory rivalry research, one odorant is presented to one nostril and a different odor is presented to the other nostril, leading to findings that ______.
A)the two odors combine into an interesting mélange of odors
B)people reported smelling one and then the other, but not both at the same time
C)because of phase transitions, the two odors cancel each other out
D)only the smell presented to the dominant nostril is perceived

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Research on olfactory rivalry has found that when two different odorants are presented to the two nostrils, people typically report smelling one odor and then the other, but not both at the same time. This suggests that there is competition between the two odor stimuli for attention and processing in the brain. However, the two odors do not cancel each other out or combine into a new odor.

In Olfactory Rivalry Research, One Odorant Is Presented to One