scope:

General

a. Sensory testing requires special controls of various kinds. If they are not employed, results may be biased or sensitivity may be reduced. Most of these controls depend directly upon, or are affected by, the physical setting in which the tests are conducted. Major ones include control of irrelevant odor stimulation, elimination of psychological distraction, and provision of a generally comfortable work environment.

b. This section describes in general terms the conditions which are most desirable and indicates how they are usually attained in laboratories which have been designed especially fer sensory testing. When sensory testing must be done using facilities not designed for that purpose, control is more difficult but not impossible. Then it is a matter of improvising to approximate the optimal conditions as closely as possible.