Consequences of Sensory Modality for Perspective-Taking: Comparing Visual, Olfactory and Gustatory Perception

Perspective-taking is fundamental for language comprehension, including the interpretation of subjective adjectives (e.g., fun, tasty, and amazing). To understand these adjectives, one needs to know whose opinion is being conveyed—in other words, who is the attitude-holder or perspectival center. Although the perspective-sensitivity of subjective adjectives has received considerable attention in prior work in formal semantics, potential effects of sensory modality (e.g., sight, taste, and smell) on the process of attitude-holder identification have not been systematically investigated. This paper reports a series of studies testing whether interpretation of subjective adjectives depends on whether they refer to the visual, olfactory (smell) vs. gustatory (taste) domains. The results provide evidence that sensory modality has a significant impact on the process of identifying the attitude-holder. This outcome suggests that perspective-sensitivity is highly context-dependent, and the observed modality effects align well with the biological and social properties of sight, taste, and smell.

Does Each Menstrual Cycle Elicit a Distinct Effect on Olfactory and Gustatory Perception?

The obesity pandemic has brought forth a scientific interest in food intake and sensory perception interactions. Olfactory perception and gustatory perception are very complex and under the influence of many factors, including the menstrual cycle. This study aims to clarify conflicting findings on the influence of the menstrual cycle on olfactory and gustatory perception. Women were assessed during four consecutive phases of one complete cycle (mid-follicular, ovulatory, mid-luteal, and late luteal phases (N = 21)), in contrast to women measured across the same phases belonging to two menstrual cycles (N = 29). Additional control groups were men (N = 17), postmenopausal women (N = 14), oral contraceptive users (N = 10), and women with an anovulatory cycle (N = 8). Olfactory threshold, odor discrimination, and identification were tested using the “Sniffin Sticks“ test kit. Suprathreshold intensity and hedonic ratings for sweet, salty, sour, and bitter solutions were assessed. One-way ANOVA and ANOVA for repeated measurements was applied in the analysis, along with linear and trigonometric data fitting and linear mixed models. Linear increases in olfactory discrimination, identification, and overall olfactory performance were observed only in women followed across a complete menstrual cycle. Compared to other groups, these women displayed a cyclic pattern characterized by a predilection for sweet solution; reduced distaste for salty and sour solutions; and increased intensity perception of salty, sour, and bitter solutions towards the end of the cycle. These results suggest that a distinct hormonal milieu of a complete menstrual cycle may be affecting both olfactory and gustatory perception.

Antimicrobial potential of essential oils mouthrinses with and without alcohol

Aim: This study aimed to compare the microbiological potential and gustatory perception of essential oils (EO) mouthrinses containing and not containing alcohol. Methods: Twenty healthy adult volunteers rinsed with 10mL of the following test solutions: EO with alcohol, EO without alcohol, or a control solution (saline solution with mint essence). A washout period of at least seven days was adopted after a single-use protocol of the respective solution. All participants used all three tested substances. Antimicrobial potential was assessed by counting salivary total viable bacteria both before and after each rinse. Gustatory perception was evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Multiple comparisons were performed with the Wilcoxon test, using Bonferroni correction. Results: Both EO solutions presented a higher antimicrobial potential in comparison to the control solution (p<0.017). However, no significant difference in antimicrobial potential was observed between EO containing or not containing alcohol (p=0.218). VAS of EO with alcohol (median: 2.7) was similar to control solution (median: 1.6) (p=0.287). A better gustatory perception was observed of the EO without alcohol (median 7.6) when compared to the control solution (p<0.0001). When EO groups were compared, EO without alcohol also demonstrated a significantly better gustatory perception (p=0.001). Conclusion: Mouthrinse containing EO without alcohol presented a better taste perception when compared to the EO with alcohol, but no difference was observed in the antimicrobial potential of both EO solutions after a single rinse protocol.

SEMANTICS OF VISUAL PERCEPTION VERBS IN THE ERZYA-MORDVIN AND FINNISH LANGUAGES

The subject of this paper is visual perception verbs in the Erzya-Mordvin and Finnish languages from the point of view of their semantic characteristics in comparison. Depending on the leading role of the sensory system, which, along with the visual system, plays a major role in perception, one distinguishes between auditory, tactile, olfactory and gustatory perception. This verbal group has a sensuous level of interrelations. Being verbs of perception, they are aimed at objects that have physical characteristics, whereas many of them are focused on the perception of concepts. In this regard, the verbs of perception develop a polysemy that goes in different directions. The novelty of the research lies in the comparative study of the lexical level of the Erzya-Mordvin and Finnish languages, which will allow us to tackle some theoretic aspects of Finno-Ugric linguistics in the future. The problem associated with the study of the semantics of perception verbs, or perceptual activity, is of relevance. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to describe the structure of the semantic field of verbs of one aspect of perception, namely the visual one: to determine the nuclear and peripheral verbal units using the material of the languages under study; to describe the system of meanings of verbal lexemes in the Erzya and Finnish languages, to analyze the polysemy of the studied verbal group in each of the above languages; to reveal additional semantic connotations in verbal lexemes; of particular interest is also the comparative study of the specifics of expression of the same semantic meaning in the context of far-related languages, in this case, Erzya and Finnish.

Cholecystokinin-like Peptide Mediates Satiety by Inhibiting Sugar Attraction

Feeding is essential for animal survival and reproduction and is regulated by both internal states and external stimuli. However, little is known about how internal states influence the perception of external sensory cues that regulate feeding behavior. Here, we investigated the neuronal and molecular mechanisms behind nutritional state-mediated regulation of gustatory perception in control of feeding behavior in the brown planthopper and Drosophila. We found that feeding increases the expression of the cholecystokinin-like peptide, sulfakinin (SK), and the activity of a set of SK-expressing neurons. Starvation elevates the transcription of the sugar receptor Gr64f and SK negatively regulates the expression of Gr64f in both insects. This Gr64f regulation is by direct action of SK neurons on Gr64f-expressing neurons of the proboscis and proleg tarsi that co-express the SK receptor CCKLR-17D3. Our findings thus demonstrate how nutritional state induces peptide signaling to modulate sweet perception and thereby feeding behavior.

INDONESIAN CULINARY: NEGOTIATING THE VISUAL AND GUSTATORY PERCEPTION

As it concerns the sense of sight, visual culture puts its focus on everything of visual nature. Specific for food, visual culture has played an important role in the development of culinary culture. Corresponding to the rising of visual turn, visual perception has earned its specific role in culinary scene. Regarding this research, it is of great importance to recognise that food has both the visual and gustatory side. Visual relates to the aesthetic side, which is about its visual appearance and gustatory side is about the taste. In food industry led by the Western world with its famous chefs, visual perception is key. When food is served in high-end premises or special places for tourism purpose, visual perception is significant. For Indonesia, one of the tourist attractions is the regional food. Indonesian regional foods certainly have its own unique appearance, but are they acceptable for international culinary standard? Do Indonesian regional foods need to change their visual appearances in accordance with the requirement of the international standard? Using food images taken from the Internet, this article delves into the opposition and negotiation of visual and gustatory perception.