The influence of smell on memory: learning Croatian vocabulary with nameable and un-nameable smells.

Abstract

This study investigated the interaction between olfactory cues in context-dependent environments, the nameability of smells, and their effects on memory and language learning. An experiment was conducted using a 2x2 design with two independent variables; congruency (consistent vs. inconsistent smell cues across phases of learning and retrieval) and nameability (nameable vs. un-nameable smells). A total of 88 participants were divided across four conditions. Results indicated no significant differences in the number of foreign words memorized across the experimental conditions. These findings suggest that neither the nameability of smells nor olfactory congruence significantly influences the memorization of foreign vocabulary.