The Rich Culture of Phantosmia

How cultural differences shape olfactory hallucinations

You know how sometimes you get a whiff of something that doesn’t seem to be there? Like the smell of fresh bread when you’re nowhere near a bakery, or a sudden stench of rotten eggs filling the room for no reason at all?

I personally have a very special connection to phantosmia. About three years after I started creating perfume, I suddenly developed the ability to consciously induce the smell of sandalwood oil in my brain. Nowadays I also occasionally smell scents associated with memories for a few seconds.

One could attribute this to the fact that the olfactory bulb of the human brain, together with the hippocampus, are the only areas that are capable of neurogenesis even in adulthood, meaning the formation of new nerve cells. So in the course of my occupation with perfumery, I also started dreaming of scents. Once I even composed a perfume in a dream.

Most of us brush off these phantom smells as a weird quirk or our minds playing tricks. But it turns out these mysterious smells aren’t so random after all. They’re actually shaped by our cultural backgrounds.

Researchers have found that some cultures report way more phantom smells than others. Studies show higher rates popping up among African, West Indian, and Asian groups compared to European groups. For example, around 18–35% of Japanese people say they’ve experienced phantom smells, versus only 6–12% of Americans.

But it’s not just the prevalence that differs — it’s the meaning people give to these odd smells too. In many cultures, phantom scents are seen as totally normal spiritual experiences. Some view them as ancestors communicating from beyond or a sign from the gods. But here in the secular West, we’re more likely to see phantom smells as a symptom of mental illness or a malfunction of the brain.

The types of phantom smells people report vary across cultures too. A study found French and French Canadian participants used totally different odor words to describe the same smells. Providing names for the odors actually increased cross-cultural similarity in how pleasant, familiar, or edible they found the scents. So our languages and vocabularies seem to shape the qualities we assign to smells, even imaginary ones.

Some researchers think religious views also play a role in how we interpret phantom scents. Those with spiritual worldviews may be less likely to see phantom smells as pathological and needing medical treatment. Makes sense when you believe a higher power is sending you divine messages through scent.

Finally, mental health stigma could also contribute to cross-cultural differences. In cultures where hallucinations are taboo, people may be hesitant to mention any weird smells they experience. This could make phantom smells seem less common when they’re actually not.

So the next time you think you’re catching a whiff of grandma’s famous apple pie out of nowhere, don’t worry — you’re not going nuts! The meaning you assign to phantom smells has a lot to do with your cultural perspective. Your culture literally shapes the way you perceive the world through your nose. Pretty crazy how something as invisible as scent can be molded by society. Just another reminder that we see the world through cultural lenses, even when we don’t realize it.