Table 4 Item loadings for factors 1 (Fac1) and 2 (Fac2) for all 92 items of the Sensory Perception Quotient (SPQ), and item breakdown of the SPQ domains and subdomains (for example, taste-salty)

1

I would notice if someone added 5 grains of salt to my cup of water.

2^a

I would be able to distinguish different people by their smell.

3

I wouldn’t notice if someone added a spoonful of sugar to my tea.

4

I wouldn’t be afraid of hurting myself when falling off my bike at high speed.

5

I wouldn’t be able to detect the motion of the blades of a rotating fan even when it is at minimum speed.

6

The sound of a piano and a violin playing the same note seems very similar to me.

7^a

I would be able to detect if a strawberry was ripe by smell alone.

8

I would be able to distinguish milk chocolate and dark chocolate by their taste alone.

9

I cannot tolerate hot showers (above 40°C /105°F).

10

I wouldn’t need an anaesthetic to cope with a dental procedure, such as a cavity-filling.

11

I would have to wait for 10 minutes for a hot drink to cool down before swallowing it, otherwise it would be too hot for me.

12^a

I would be able to visually detect the change in brightness of a light each time a dimmer control moved one notch.

13

I wouldn’t be able to detect large objects, such as parked cars, clearly on a dark night.

14^a

I would notice if someone added 5 drops of lemon juice to my cup of water.

15

I would be the last person to detect if something was burning.

16

I wouldn’t be able to feel the vibrations from loud music if I was sitting next to the loud speaker (for example, at a concert).

17

I wouldn’t be able to feel a small volume change in music as a difference in vibration on my skin.

18

I can’t hear the TV when it is quiet, even when other people can.

19^a

I would be able to hear a leaf move if blown by the wind on a quiet street.

20

I wouldn’t be able to taste the difference between two pieces of dark chocolate.

21^a

I would be able to taste the difference between two brands of salty potato chips/crisps.

22

When people are talking the words seem to merge together.

23

I can only look at bright colours for a brief period of time.

24

I would lose my balance very easily if I was standing on one foot with my eyes closed.

25

I wouldn’t be able to smell a barbecue from 60 feet (20 metres) away.

26

I can’t spin round and round without falling over.

27

I wouldn’t notice a 10 degree difference in temperature of the weather.

28

I can drink tea/coffee ‘straight’, without needing to add milk or sugar.

29

I can’t hear the bass in music.

30

I would be able to smell the difference between freshly cut grass and uncut grass.

31^a

I wouldn’t be able to feel the label at the back of my shirt even if I thought about it.

32^a

I can hear electricity humming in the walls.

33^a

I notice the flickering of a desktop computer even when it is working properly.

34

I wouldn’t be able to tell if milk is off simply by smelling it.

35^a

I would be able to notice a tiny change (for example, 1 degree) in the temperature of the weather.

36^a

I would be able to feel a one millimetre cut in my skin.

37

I would be able to see the individual blades in a rotating fan even if it was at maximum speed.

38^a

I would be able to tell the weight difference between two different coin sizes on the palm of my hand, if my eyes were closed.

39

I wouldn’t get dizzy on a carousel/merry-go-round, even at high speed.

40

I can’t see written words on a page that other people can see.

41

I would be able to distinguish between two oranges purely by their taste.

42^a

I couldn’t distinguish a familiar person and a stranger by their smell.

43^a

I couldn’t detect if bread is stale purely by its smell.

44

I can’t tell if my clothes are clean or dirty by smell alone.

45^a

I would be able to detect the sound of a vacuum cleaner from any room in a two-storey building.

46

I wouldn’t notice the difference between even and uneven ground when driving over it sitting in the back seat of a car.

47

I would be able to drink a cup of boiling water straight after it had been poured from the kettle.

48

I couldn’t tell two types of green apples apart purely from their colour.

49

I would be able to distinguish between an old and a new book by their smell.

50

I would be able to read a street sign from a distance of 100 feet (30 metres).

51

I can’t tell if cars passing me on the street are going at different speeds.

52

I would be able to notice if someone added 5 grains of sugar to my glass of water.

53

I would have difficulty seeing a single leaf clearly even on a tree that is close up.

54

I wouldn’t taste if someone added a whole teaspoon of salt to my glass of water.

55^a

I would be able to feel the elastic holding up my socks if I stop and thought about it.

56

I can’t taste the difference between ripe and non-ripe fruit.

57

I would be able to stand on one foot for fifteen seconds without wobbling.

58^a

I would be able to taste the difference between apparently identical pieces of candy.

59^a

I notice the weight and pressure of a hat on my head.

60^a

I would feel if a single hair touched the back of my hand.

61^a

If I was walking along, I would be able to feel a passing truck’s vibrations even if my eyes were closed.

62^a

I would be able to smell the smallest gas leak from anywhere in the house.

63^a

I wouldn’t notice if someone changed their perfume, by smell alone.

64

I would be able to tell when an elevator/lift started moving.

65

I can hear dog whistles very easily in the park.

66

I wouldn’t taste the difference between different types of lettuce leaves.

67

I couldn’t taste if there were two slices of lemon in my glass of water if I was drinking it with my eyes closed.

68^a

I can’t go out in bright sunlight without sunglasses.

69

I would be able to read small print, such as a serial number on the back of a DVD, at 10 feet (3 metres) away.

70

I get motion sickness easily (for example, car sickness or sea sickness)

71^a

I would be able to feel a change in the temperature of a cup of coffee after it had sat for 1 minute.

72

I can’t hear very low frequency sounds, such as low voices.

73^a

I would be the first to hear if there was a fly in the room.

74^a

If I look at a pile of blue sweaters in a shop that are meant to be identical, I would be able to see differences between them.

75^a

I wouldn’t detect a new smell in my house instantly before anyone else.

76

I have perfect pitch: for example, I could repeat a musical tone without any cue.

77

I would be able to bite into a lemon without any problems.

78

I wouldn’t need to wear a coat in the winter, even when it is zero degrees outside.

79

I wouldn’t be able to match the colour of a sweater in the shop with the colour of my trousers at home.

80

I wouldn’t hear every single note when listening to music.

81^a

I would be able to smell the difference between most men and women.

82

I choose to wear muted colours.

83

I listen to music at minimum loudness.

84^a

I would be able to hear each note in a chord even if there were 10 notes.

85^a

I close curtains to avoid bright lights.

86

I wouldn’t be able to hear differences in sound if the same instrument played the same note at different times.

87^a

I would be able to distinguish two brands of coffee by their smell, even with my eyes closed.

88^a

I can see dust particles in the air in most environments.

89^a

I wouldn’t be able to taste the difference between two brands of tomato sauce if they had different concentrations of salt.

90^a

I would be able to smell the smallest amount of burning from anywhere in the house.

91^a

If my mobile phone was vibrating in my pocket I would be quick to sense it.

92

I find it difficult to see individual stars on a clear night.