Evidence for an Olfactory Store in Working Memory?

Abstract

We tested the hypothesis that olfactory information can be temporarily retained in a modality-specific short-term memory system. The results of two experiments using short-term memory tasks supported this hypothesis. Experiment 1 showed an effect of concurrent odour memory on digit recall that was equivalent to the effect of concurrent visual memory and smaller than that of concurrent verbal memory. Experiment 2 showed a detrimental effect of concurrent odour memory on odour recognition, and no effect of concurrent verbal and visual memory tasks. Based on these findings, and on published evidence for rehearsal and imagery of olfactory information, we tentatively conclude that there is a subsystem in working memory dedicated to temporary maintenance of olfactory information. Key words: olfaction, odor, selective interference, memory loadThis paper contributes to a small body of evidence for a working memory subsystem dedicated to temporary storage of olfactory information. Baddeley (1992, p. 281) has argued that working memory enables us to integrate information from different sensory channels, including smell. Although his model of working memory (Baddeley, 2000(Baddeley, , 1986Baddeley & Hitch, 1974) contains only two modality-specific subsystems-the phonological loop for storing acoustic information and the visuo-spatial sketchpad for storing visual and spatial information-there is scope for adding additional subsystems if supported by empirical evidence. Working memory for olfactory, tactile or taste information has received very little research attention. We used a dual-task methodology to investigate whether short-term memory for odours is functionally independent of shortterm memory for verbal and visuo-spatial information.Most cognitive psychological research into human olfactory memory has focused on whether olfactory memory is intrinsically different from memory in other modalities and whether olfactory memory exists independently of memory for the verbal labels of odours. Olfactory information can be remembered over long periods, as illustrated by the effectiveness of olfactory cues for recalling autobiographical memories (e.g., Aggleton &Waskett, 1999;Chu & Downes, 2000;Herz & Schooler, 2002). Researchers have debated whether this long-term olfactory memory differs in its processing constraints fromWe are grateful to Judith Bek for help with data collection.

Immediate recognition memory for wine

“…Indeed, previous work from our laboratory (Johnson & Miles, 2009;Johnson, Cauchi & Miles, 2013) has demonstrated that the serial position function for olfactory memory differs to that observed for the visual and auditory domains. These differences might suggest the existence of an olfactory-specific slave system within working memory (Andrade & Donaldson, 2007), and the present data perhaps point towards similar dissociation for gustatory memory. One might speculate that the different requirements for the processing of the chemical senses have necessitated a functionally different memory system to that of 'far senses' such as vision.…”

“…an olfactory-specific slave system, Andrade & Donaldson, 2007) or multidimensional (Baddeley, 2000). The multi-dimensional episodic-buffer (Baddeley, 2000) has the potential to operate as a store for stimuli currently neglected by the modular slave systems of the model.…”

Hebbian learning for olfactory sequences

“…These findings have been interpreted as evidence for the existence of an independent olfactory 'module' in working memory (e.g. see Andrade & Donaldson, 2007). This, in turn, allows the argument that evidence for Hebbian repetition learning for olfactory sequences does not merely reflect the learning of a particular verbal sequence.…”

Human olfactory consciousness and cognition: its unusual features may not result from unusual functions but from limited neocortical processing resources

“…Yet again, there is good evidence that there is a capacity for short-term memory in olfaction (e.g., White, 1998; Andrade and Donaldson, 2007). What is not clearly established is the representational code that underpins this, and whether it is instantiated discretely (i.e., a short-term olfactory module) or as a component of long-term memory (e.g., Yeshurun et al, 2008; Johnson and Miles, 2009).…”