Bidirectionality in multisensory perception: Examining the mutual influences between audition and taste

Abstract

Previous research suggests that people reliably associate sounds and tastes. One important and often-cited implication of these crossmodal correspondences is the modulatory effect of sound on taste perception. In contrast, the potential impact of gustatory sensations on auditory perception has received less empirical attention. This paper presents the results of three experiments examining how listening to a sweet (vs. bitter) soundtrack shapes the sensory perception of bittersweet chocolate (Experiments 1a and 1b) and how the sweet (vs. bitter) taste of chocolate affects the perception of congruent sensory and hedonic attributes of a “bittersweet” soundtrack (Experiment 2). Experiment 1a manipulated the soundtrack type between participants and found no significant effect of music on taste perception. Experiment 1b followed a similar procedure but with a within-participants design. Here, the chocolate sample was perceived as sweeter and more positive when paired with the sweet soundtrack. In Experiment 2, tasting sweet chocolate shifted the evaluation of the bittersweet soundtrack toward higher sweetness and pleasantness and lower bitterness ratings. These findings suggest that sound-taste correspondences may have bidirectional effects on gustatory and auditory stimuli perception. However, the effects of audition on taste may depend on the direct contrast between soundtracks with different crossmodal profiles. These findings contribute to a better understanding of multisensory interactions between audition and taste. The implications for future research and the challenges to real-world interventions are discussed.