Environmentally induced changes in sensory sensitivities.

Abstract

For studying changes in the sensory sensitivities, psychophysical methods offer a variety of models. The psychophysical approach also holds for applications on indoor air quality. The human senses can be used for characterizing environments in terms of effects on health and comfort, and have been used by the WHO for determining recommended exposure limits. The use of psychophysical methods for air pollution applications is illustrated by two studies on effects on sensory functions in smokers and passive smokers. Olfactory as well as auditory effects were found. Furthermore, methodological findings are presented, such as obtaining information on detectability and perceived intensity in the very same estimation procedure. The results also demonstrate the need for calibrating scales with regard to individual scaling behavior in perceived intensity measurements as well as the capability of the master scale principle for performing such a calibration.