bio approach: pheromones Flashcards
pheromone definition:
a chemical messenger that is passed from one individual to another which has an effect on the receiving individual.
why have they long fascinated scientists?
these signals emitted by organisms to communicate with others of the same species, have long fascinated scientists for their potential role in influencing behaviour and social interactions.
research on pheromones..
while extensively studied in animals, the understanding of pheromones’ effects in humans has been met with scepticism due to the absence of a well-defined vomeronasal organ, traditionally associated with pheromone detection.
recent research
nonetheless, recent research, exemplified by a study conducted by Zhou et al. (2014), sheds light on the subtle yet significant impact of pheromones on human behaviour, even in the absence of a functional vomeronasal organ.
zhou et al (2014) investigated?
the effects of two pheromones, Androstadienone (AND) and Estratetraenol (EST), on the perception of gender cues in individuals with different sexual orientations.
why was effects of AND and EST studied and not any other pheromone?
AND and EST were chosen because past studies have shown that AND affects perceptions of attractiveness and that AND and EST affect perceptions of gender.
AND and EST have shown to improve mood and focus and modulates biological endpoints as well. a positive mood and heightened focus are important for women’s sexual response and sexual satisfaction.
link to study
zhou et al’s (2014) findings not only contribute to our understanding of pheromonal effects in humans but also underscore the intricate interplay between chemical signals and social behaviour.
zhou et al. (2014) aim -
to see the effect of AND and EST on heterosexual and homosexual men and women.
zhou et al. (2014) sample -
four groups of healthy non-smokers including: 24 heterosexual males, 24 heterosexual females, 24 homosexual males, and 24 bisexual or homosexual females.
zhou et al. (2014) procedure -
P were presented with a point-light walker task (PLW), a set of dots that move in a way that represents the properties of human motion.
P were asked to observe the stick figure in motion and identify its sex. they performed the task at around the same time of the day on three consecutive days while being continuously exposed to either: Androstadienone mixed with cloves, Estratetraenol mixed with cloves, Control solution mixed with cloves.
task was only carried out while smelling one of the solutions each day. the scents were counterbalanced to control for order effects.
zhou et al. (2014) results -
researchers found that when heterosexual females and gay males were exposed to AND, they had a higher rate of identifying the stick figure as “masculine” than the control group. AND had no significant effect on heterosexual men or lesbian women.
by contrast, smelling EST systematically biases heterosexual males toward perceiving the walkers as more feminine. the effect was not statistically significant in bisexual and lesbian women.
conclusion -
the study suggests that pheromones like AND and EST influence how people perceive gender cues. this supports the idea that pheromones can affect human behaviour, even in the absence of a functional vomeronasal organ.
despite lacking the anatomical ability to detect pheromones traditionally, individuals still demonstrated altered perceptions of gender when exposed to these chemicals. thus highlighting the potential role of pheromones in shaping social interactions and mate selection.
