Our sense of smell and different odors can influence how we see colors

Color perception and our sense of smell might sound like simple and straightforward processes, but scientific research points to something more happening behind the scenes in our brains. Our senses appear to blend in ways that shift how we see things, and scent is a key part of this mixture.

Researchers in the UK explored this link by presenting participants with various odors, then testing their color perception by asking them to set a color patch to what they believed was neutral gray.

Instead of a straightforward result, they noticed an unexpected push toward warmer tones whenever an odor was in the air.

According to Dr. Ryan Ward from Liverpool John Moores University, this work shows the remarkable ways that different senses interact.

The project was carried out in conjunction with colleagues from the University of Liverpool and Cambridge University. Their combined effort suggests that our brains do not treat smell and sight as separate experiences.

Smell, color, and crossmodal associations

Experts refer to these interactions as crossmodal associations, where one sense influences another. Past examples have included sound and taste or temperature and color.

Studies have shown that a high-pitched sound can seem to brighten our perception of flavor or that a cool temperature might alter how sweet something tastes.

Although scent and sight have received less attention, this study brings the focus to odors and how they influence color judgment.

Participants noticed subtle differences based on the aroma they encountered. One illustration involved the smell of cherry, which led people to set the neutral gray color patch in a way that leaned red-brown.

The researchers also pointed out that when caramel, coffee, lemon, or peppermint were introduced, there was a tendency to connect each fragrance with distinct color tints.

Color influencing odor and smell

Past studies found that color can shift how we judge smells or tastes. An orange-looking drink might be described as orange-flavored, even if it is actually cherry.

There was also a case where white wine was dyed red, and skilled wine tasters then applied terms typical of red wine to describe it.

According to these findings, the relationship between color and smell is not one-way. Just as color can guide how a smell is perceived, odor and our sense of smell can affect how we see color.

People are sometimes surprised by how easy it is to misidentify certain fragrances, even those we think we know well. Researchers in this study saw that confusion often happened with coffee and peppermint.

Yet even if folks got the label wrong, there was a strong sense of familiarity that might have been enough to change color perception.

How does this happen?

Semantics, or the mental links we form over time, could play a central part in this effect.

The smell of cherry, for example, might bring to mind bright red fruit. The scent of coffee might suggest darker shades.

Researchers propose that such connections can shape how our brains map smells to colors, even if we are not fully aware of the process.

This new insight into smell-sight pairing opens up questions about how retailers and product designers might shape consumer experiences.

Previous research has shown how color and flavor pairings guide buying habits. Now, scent-based cues may also be involved in shaping the colors people see in packaging or advertisements.

Coffee smell has a red-brown color

Investigators explained that the color shifts were not huge, but the consistency across subjects points to a genuine effect.

One result was that odors often tugged the neutral gray setting toward warmer shades. The smell of coffee had a red-brown tilt, while peppermint prompted a mix that included browner tones.

The authors also highlighted that people do not always realize their senses are interacting in these ways.

Although the study did not offer a final answer on why this happens, the suggestion is that smell can trigger vivid mental images.

These associations, in turn, guide small but meaningful changes in how colors appear. It is an intriguing blend of unconscious inference and sensory overlap.

Merging senses, blended information

The authors note that these findings fit into a larger pattern of research on how our senses merge. In many situations, our minds rely on blended information.

When we talk to someone, for instance, we rely on speech sounds and facial expressions.

Companies have long leveraged these sensory crossovers to make certain products or experiences more appealing.

What this study adds is a deeper look at how odors can shape color perception on a level that goes beyond guesswork.

Whether this makes a peppermint-scented space seem a bit browner or a cherry aroma tilt the world a little redder, the effect appears to be real.

Some might not notice it directly, but the impact on design, marketing, and even everyday awareness could be more important than people realize.

Learning by mixing colors and smells

This study provides a fresh angle on sensory science by showing that smell can steer how we interpret a neutral color.

Previous examples, including how people perceive wine or connect flavor to color, paved the way for these conclusions.

Our senses are intertwined, and this research suggests they work together in ways that might surprise us.

Though many odors were part of the experiment, it was tricky for participants to name them with perfect accuracy. Even so, the sense of recognition was enough to shift the color patch.

These subtle shifts in the gray setting might point to powerful undercurrents in how the brain combines information from smell and sight. That combination, though quiet, has a noticeable effect on our view of the world.

The full study was published journal Frontiers in Psychology.

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