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Schäfer L, Sorokowska A, Weidner K, Sauter J, Schmidt AH, Croy I. Body odours as putative chemosignals in the father-child relationship: New insights on paternal olfactory kin recognition and preference from infancy to adolescence. Physiol Behav 2024; 278:114505. [PMID: 38432443 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2024.114505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Children's body odours are effective chemical cues in the parent-child relationship. Mothers can recognize the odour of their child and prefer this odour over that of unfamiliar children. This effect is mediated by genetic similarity and developmental stage and is therefore suited to promote parental care at pre-pubertal stage, while facilitating incest avoidance at (post-)pubertal stage. The present study tested whether similar mechanisms apply to fathers. Therefore n = 56 fathers evaluated body odour samples of their own and of unfamiliar children in varying genetic and developmental stages. Genetic status was determined by human leucocyte antigen (HLA) profiling, developmental status by standardized assessment of pubertal status and steroid hormone concentration (estradiol, testosterone). Similar to mothers, fathers identified their own child's body odour above chance and preferred that odour. The paternal preference did not relate to HLA similarity but decreased with increasing age of the child. The decline was associated with higher pubertal stages in daughters only, which supports the hypothesis of odour-mediated incest prevention in opposite-sex parent-child dyads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Schäfer
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Agnieszka Sorokowska
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Smell and Taste Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, pl. Dawida 1, 50-527, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Kerstin Weidner
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | | | - Alexander H Schmidt
- DKMS, Kressbach 1, 72072 Tübingen, Germany; DKMS Life Science Lab, St. Petersburger Straße 2, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Ilona Croy
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Institute of Psycholgy, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany; German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Site Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, Jena, Germany
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2
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Di Cicco F, Evans RL, James AG, Weddell I, Chopra A, Smeets MAM. Intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting axillary odor variation. A comprehensive review. Physiol Behav 2023; 270:114307. [PMID: 37516230 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
Humans produce odorous secretions from multiple body sites according to the microbiomic profile of each area and the types of secretory glands present. Because the axilla is an active, odor-producing region that mediates social communication via the sense of smell, this article focuses on the biological mechanisms underlying the creation of axillary odor, as well as the intrinsic and extrinsic factors likely to impact the odor and determine individual differences. The list of intrinsic factors discussed includes sex, age, ethnicity, emotions, and personality, and extrinsic factors include dietary choices, diseases, climate, and hygienic habits. In addition, we also draw attention to gaps in our understanding of each factor, including, for example, topical areas such as the effect of climate on body odor variation. Fundamental challenges and emerging research opportunities are further outlined in the discussion. Finally, we suggest guidelines and best practices based on the factors reviewed herein for preparatory protocols of sweat collection, data analysis, and interpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Di Cicco
- Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, Utrecht, CS 3584, the Netherlands.
| | - Richard L Evans
- Unilever Research & Development, Port Sunlight Laboratory, Bebington, UK
| | - A Gordon James
- Unilever Research & Development, Colworth House, Sharnbrook, UK
| | - Iain Weddell
- Unilever Research & Development, Port Sunlight Laboratory, Bebington, UK
| | - Anita Chopra
- Unilever Research & Development, Port Sunlight Laboratory, Bebington, UK
| | - Monique A M Smeets
- Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, Utrecht, CS 3584, the Netherlands; Unilever Research & Development, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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3
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Wunder A, Ludwig J, Haertl T, Arnhardt S, Schwinn L, Chellapandian DC, Weinmair E, Mühle C, Thürauf N, Kornhuber J, Rohleder N, Loos HM, Freiherr J. Can you smell my stress? Influence of stress chemosignals on empathy and emotion recognition in depressed individuals and healthy controls. Physiol Behav 2023; 270:114309. [PMID: 37517662 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Human body odors contain chemical signals that play a key role in our non-verbal communication regarding health, genetic identity, immune system, fitness, and emotional state. Studies on human chemosignaling in individuals with psychiatric diseases are scarce but indicate altered smell perception and emotion recognition in depressed individuals. In the present project, we aimed to investigate the influence of chemosensory substances in social stress sweat on emotion recognition, perspective taking, affective responsiveness as well as stress level in healthy and depressed individuals. Therefore, chemosensory stimuli (sweat samples from Trier social stress test (TSST) and friendly-TSST (fTSST)) were obtained from 39 healthy participants (19 females). In a next step, chemosensory stimuli and an odor-free blank (cotton pad) were used to stimulate another group of 40 healthy participants (20 females) and 37 individuals with depression (24 females). Those stimuli were examined regarding their influence on subjective feelings of stress, emotion perception and empathic reactions using an empathy test. Furthermore, physiological data (breathing, heart rate, skin conductance response, stress hormones) of the participants were collected during chemosensory stimulation. Depressed individuals improved their ability of perspective taking and affective responsiveness for the emotion grief when presented with stress chemosignals compared to no chemosignals. Healthy individuals remained unaffected regarding perspective taking and affective responsiveness. Both depressed and healthy individuals showed no increased stress hormone cortisol and α-amylase values during the social stress chemosignals condition, but reduced values for fTSST condition compared to no chemosignals respectively. The results imply that stress chemosignals do not trigger a stress reaction, but for depressed individuals they lead to a better emotion assessment for grief. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the effects of social stress chemosignals on healthy and depressed individuals. Knowing the impact of human chemosignals on emotional processing is crucial for a better understanding of non-verbal human interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annkatrin Wunder
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Janina Ludwig
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Tobias Haertl
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Chair of Aroma and Smell Research, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Henkestrasse 9, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sally Arnhardt
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Leo Schwinn
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Machine Learning and Data Analytics Lab, Department Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Engineering, Carl-Thiersch-Strasse 2b, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Deepak Charles Chellapandian
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Weinmair
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Chair of Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, Nägelsbachstrasse 49a, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christiane Mühle
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Norbert Thürauf
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Johannes Kornhuber
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Nicolas Rohleder
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Chair of Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, Nägelsbachstrasse 49a, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Helene M Loos
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Chair of Aroma and Smell Research, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Henkestrasse 9, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engeneering and Packaging (IVV), Giggenhauser Str. 35, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Jessica Freiherr
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Schwabachanlage 6, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging (IVV), Sensory Analytics and Technologies, Giggenhauser Str. 35, 85354 Freising, Germany.
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4
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Williams MN, Lee Apicella C. A test of multimodal communication in humans using 881 judgements of men and women's physical, vocal, and olfactory attractiveness. Heliyon 2023; 9:e16895. [PMID: 37342575 PMCID: PMC10277517 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Human mate value is assessed on numerous variables including, reproductive potential and disease resistance. Many of these variables have been correlated with judgments of physical, vocal, and odor attractiveness. While some researchers posit that attractiveness judgments made across different sensory modalities reflect the same underlying variable(s) (i.e., the information is redundant), others suggest that judgments made in different modalities reflect different variables. Previous studies of human attractiveness indicate that attractiveness judgments of others' faces, bodies, and voices are intercorrelated, which is suggested to support the redundancy hypothesis. Less is known about body odor attractiveness. Only one study has simultaneously investigated the relationships between judgments of body odor, face, and voice attractiveness finding weak positive associations, but small effect sizes. In this study, we empirically investigate the correlation between different modalities of attractiveness in men and women in the largest sample to date (N = 881 ratings). For men, we find no correlations between modalities of attractiveness. However, for women we find odor, face, and voice attractiveness are weakly correlated. Moreover, a general attractiveness factor (i.e., a common underlying variable) modestly contributed to the observed correlations between modality-specific attractiveness judgments, providing some evidence for the redundancy hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Nicole Williams
- University of Pennsylvania, Solomon Laboratories, 3720 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 09104, USA
- Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Coren Lee Apicella
- University of Pennsylvania, Solomon Laboratories, 3720 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA, 09104, USA
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5
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Richard Ortegón S, Carlos O, Robert-Hazotte A, Lelgouarch A, Desoche C, Kawabata Duncan K, Tagai K, Fournel A, Bensafi M, Race B, Ferdenzi C. Investigating the human chemical communication of positive emotions using a virtual reality-based mood induction. Physiol Behav 2023; 264:114147. [PMID: 36893999 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Humans can communicate their emotions to others via volatile emissions from their bodies. Although there is now solid evidence for human chemical communication of fear, stress and anxiety, investigations of positive emotions remain scarce. In a recent study, we found that women's heart rate and performance in creativity tasks were modulated by body odors of men sampled while they were in a positive vs. neutral mood. However, inducing positive emotions in laboratory settings remains challenging. Therefore, an important step to further investigate the human chemical communication of positive emotions is to develop new methods to induce positive moods. Here, we present a new mood induction procedure (MIP) based on virtual reality (VR), that we assumed to be more powerful than videos (used in our previous study) to induce positive emotions. We hypothesized that, consequently, given the more intense emotions created, this VR-based MIP would induce larger differences between the receivers' responses to the positive body odor versus a neutral control body odor, than the Video-based MIP. The results confirmed the higher efficacy of VR to induce positive emotions compared with videos. More specifically, VR had more repeatable effects between individuals. Although positive body odors had similar effects to those found in the previous video study, especially faster problem solving, these effects did not reach statistical significance. These outcomes are discussed as a function of the specificities of VR and of other methodological parameters, that may have prevented the observation of such subtle effects and that should be understood more in-depth for future studies on human chemical communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Richard Ortegón
- University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5292, INSERM U1028, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, CH Le Vinatier, Bât. 462 Neurocampus, 95 boulevard Pinel, Bron Cedex 69675, France; Shiseido Group EMEA, 56A rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris 75008, France
| | - Olivia Carlos
- Shiseido Group EMEA, 56A rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris 75008, France
| | | | - Anne Lelgouarch
- University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5292, INSERM U1028, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, CH Le Vinatier, Bât. 462 Neurocampus, 95 boulevard Pinel, Bron Cedex 69675, France
| | - Clément Desoche
- University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5292, INSERM U1028, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, CH Le Vinatier, Bât. 462 Neurocampus, 95 boulevard Pinel, Bron Cedex 69675, France
| | - Keith Kawabata Duncan
- Shiseido Co., Ltd MIRAI Technology Institute, 1-2-11 Takashima, Nishi-Ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 220-0011, Japan
| | - Keiko Tagai
- Shiseido Co., Ltd MIRAI Technology Institute, 1-2-11 Takashima, Nishi-Ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 220-0011, Japan
| | - Arnaud Fournel
- University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5292, INSERM U1028, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, CH Le Vinatier, Bât. 462 Neurocampus, 95 boulevard Pinel, Bron Cedex 69675, France
| | - Moustafa Bensafi
- University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5292, INSERM U1028, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, CH Le Vinatier, Bât. 462 Neurocampus, 95 boulevard Pinel, Bron Cedex 69675, France
| | - Bénédicte Race
- Shiseido Group EMEA, 56A rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris 75008, France
| | - Camille Ferdenzi
- University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS UMR5292, INSERM U1028, Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, CH Le Vinatier, Bât. 462 Neurocampus, 95 boulevard Pinel, Bron Cedex 69675, France.
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6
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Li ZL, Hummel T, Zou LQ. Sniffing of Body Odors and Individual Significance of Olfaction Are Associated with Sexual Desire: A Cross-Cultural Study in China, India, and the USA. Arch Sex Behav 2022; 51:3703-3713. [PMID: 35997908 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-022-02398-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Olfactory sensations contribute to sexual desire and sexual behavior. However, the degree to which individual importance of olfactory function and body odors relate to sexual desire is not known. This study was conducted to preliminarily examine these relationships among Chinese college students (N = 1903) via the Importance of Olfaction Questionnaire, the Body Odor Sniffing Questionnaire, and the Sexual Desire Inventory, which were used to measure subjective significance of olfaction, frequency of sniffing self or others, and sexual desire, respectively. Individuals who assigned higher importance to olfaction or engaged more in body odor sniffing showed stronger sexual desire. We further explored these associations in different cultures to determine whether cultural consistency existed. We conducted a second study to make cross-cultural comparisons between Indian (N = 313) and US (N = 249) populations. For both countries, a higher importance placed on olfaction and a higher prevalence of body odor sniffing were consistently associated with stronger sexual desire. In conclusion, our study confirmed that people who placed more value on olfactory function or engaged more in body odor sniffing showed stronger sexual desire. These correlations were consistent for both sexes and across different cultures, further indicating the importance of olfaction in sexuality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Lin Li
- Chemical Senses and Mental Health Lab, Department of Psychology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, No. 1023 Shatainan Road, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China
| | - Thomas Hummel
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Lai-Quan Zou
- Chemical Senses and Mental Health Lab, Department of Psychology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, No. 1023 Shatainan Road, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
- Department of Psychiatry, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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Schwambergová D, Sorokowska A, Slámová Ž, Třebická Fialová J, Sabiniewicz A, Nowak-Kornicka J, Borkowska B, Pawłowski B, Havlíček J. No evidence for association between human body odor quality and immune system functioning. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 132:105363. [PMID: 34343779 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that women perceive male faces with a more reactive immune system as more attractive, but whether body odor might likewise provide cues to immune function has not been investigated yet. These two studies tested a possible relationship between body odor quality and immunoreactivity (Study 1) and immune system function (Study 2). In Study 1, we collected body odor samples from 21 men just before and two weeks after vaccination against hepatitis A/B and meningococcus. We determined the levels of specific antibodies (selected as markers of immune system's reactivity), testosterone, and cortisol. Subsequently, 88 female raters assessed the odor samples for their attractiveness, intensity, and healthiness. In Study 2, we collected body odor and blood samples from 35 men and women. We assessed key parameters of their innate and adaptive immunity, such as complement activity or total lymphocyte T and B counts and asked 95 raters to assess the odor samples for their attractiveness, intensity, and healthiness. In Study 1, we found no significant association between antibody levels induced by vaccination and perceived body odor attractiveness, intensity, and healthiness. We also found no significant relationship between antibody levels and steroid hormones (testosterone and cortisol). In Study 2, we likewise found no association between basal key parameters (innate and adaptive) of the immune system and body odor quality. Our results indicate that body odor may not serve as a cue to the reactivity of the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dagmar Schwambergová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic; National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, 250 67 Klecany, Czech Republic.
| | - Agnieszka Sorokowska
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Plac Uniwersytecki 1, 50-137 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Žaneta Slámová
- National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, 250 67 Klecany, Czech Republic; Department of Philosophy and History of Sciences, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jitka Třebická Fialová
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic; National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, 250 67 Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Agnieszka Sabiniewicz
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Plac Uniwersytecki 1, 50-137 Wroclaw, Poland; Smell and Taste Clinic, TU Dresden, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Judyta Nowak-Kornicka
- Department of Human Biology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Barbara Borkowska
- Department of Human Biology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Bogusław Pawłowski
- Department of Human Biology, University of Wroclaw, Przybyszewskiego 63, 51-148 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Jan Havlíček
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic; National Institute of Mental Health, Topolová 748, 250 67 Klecany, Czech Republic
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Habel U, Regenbogen C, Kammann C, Stickel S, Chechko N. Male brain processing of the body odor of ovulating women compared to that of pregnant women. Neuroimage 2021; 229:117733. [PMID: 33484852 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Female chemical signals underlie the advertising of sexual receptivity and fertility. Whether the body odor of a pregnant woman also has a signaling function with respect to male behavior is yet to be conclusively established. This study examines how the body odors of ovulating and pregnant women differentially affect the behavior of heterosexual men. Body odor samples were collected from 5 pregnant women and 5 matched controls during ovulation. In a double-blind functional magnetic resonance imaging design, 18 heterosexual men were exposed to female body odors during ovulation (OV) and pregnancy (PRG) while being required to indicate the attractiveness of concurrently presented female portrait images. The participants were also required to indicate whether they assumed a depicted woman was pregnant. While neither OV nor PRG altered the perceived attractiveness of a presented face, the men tended to identify the women as pregnant while exposed to a PRG body odor. On the neural level, OV activated a network of the frontotemporal and limbic regions, while PRG activated the superior medial frontal gyrus. The results suggest that the detection of sexual availability activates the male brain regions associated with face processing and reward/motivation, whereas sensing pregnancy activates a region responsible for empathy and prosocial behavior. Thus, the female body odor during pregnancy likely helps foster circumstances conducive to the future care of offspring while the body odor advertising sexual availability promotes mating behavior. The brains of heterosexual men may be capable of unconsciously discriminating between these two types of olfactory stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ute Habel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine: JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Wilhelm-Johne Strasse, 52425 Jülich, Germany.
| | - Christina Regenbogen
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine: JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Wilhelm-Johne Strasse, 52425 Jülich, Germany; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 18A, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Catharina Kammann
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 40, 6229 ER Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - Susanne Stickel
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine: JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Wilhelm-Johne Strasse, 52425 Jülich, Germany.
| | - Natalia Chechko
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical Faculty, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine: JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Research Center Jülich, Wilhelm-Johne Strasse, 52425 Jülich, Germany.
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Hara T, Nabei H, Kyuka A. Activated carbon/titanium dioxide composite to adsorb volatile organic compounds associated with human body odor. Heliyon 2020; 6:e05455. [PMID: 33241142 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The human body generates various malodor compounds in different body parts and even in the same parts. A more effective and versatile deodorant material that can suppress various key contributors to the body odor must be developed to improve the quality of life of affected individuals. In this study, activated carbon (AC) was found to have higher adsorption ability toward key body odor-generating compounds than zinc oxide (ZnO), which is a well-known deodorant material. To prevent pigmentation of human skin induced by the direct application of AC, white activated carbon (WAC) was developed by blending AC, titanium dioxide (TiO2), and ammonium acrylate copolymer. AC to TiO2 ratio of 1:6 was found to be the optimum blending ratio to form WAC. Compared with ZnO, this optimal WAC exhibited higher adsorption ability toward five key body odor compounds. The in vivo evaluation of the sample containing WAC revealed that it significantly suppressed the generation of axillary odor without a bactericidal effect. The developed WAC can effectively suppress the human body odor in different body parts. These findings are valuable for individuals experiencing psychological stress attributed to their unpleasant body odor.
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10
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Ferdenzi C, Razafindrazaka H, Baldovini N, Poupon D, Pierron D, Bensafi M. Influence of gender and culture on the perception of acidic compounds of human body odor. Physiol Behav 2019; 210:112561. [PMID: 31178171 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that human body odor is involved in interpersonal communication. However, among the wide variety of substances excreted by the human body that might act as chemosignals, much attention has been granted to androstenes to the detriment of other categories. Here, we focused on the acidic fraction of human body odor. We investigated men and women's perceptual descriptions and detection thresholds of the sexually dimorphic (male) compound 3-hydroxy-3-methylhexanoic acid (HMHA) in two contrasted cultures, France and Madagascar. Perceptual responses to HMHA in both countries were very similar. HMHA proved to be more typical of body odor than another chemically-related major compound of human body odor 3MHA (3-methylhex-2-enoic acid also known as 3M2H). A significant portion of the samples studied (between 8 and 19%) was likely to be anosmic to HMHA (and to 3MHA: 25%). Although differences would be expected between men and women's perceptual responses to HMHA, based on the assumption that this compound would have a function in human partner choice, no sex differences were found for any of the perceptual variables. However, in Malagasy women, perceived intensity of HMHA was higher in participants who were in the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle. Whether HMHA is relevant in the perception of a potential partner thus requires further explorations, with more implicit approaches for example and/or by investigating the repercussions of HMHA specific anosmia on interpersonal relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Ferdenzi
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5292, INSERM U1028, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier, 95 bd Pinel, 69675 Bron Cedex, France.
| | - Harilanto Razafindrazaka
- Laboratoire d'Anthropologie Moléculaire et Imagerie de Synthèse, CNRS UMR 5288, Université Toulouse 3, 37 Allées Jules Guesde, 31073 Toulouse Cedex 3, France; Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, EFS, ADES, Marseille, France; Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, 21 allée de Brienne, 31015 Cedex 6, Toulouse, France
| | - Nicolas Baldovini
- Institut de Chimie de Nice, CNRS UMR 7272, Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Parc Valrose, 28 avenue Valrose, 06108 Nice Cedex 2, France
| | - Daphnée Poupon
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5292, INSERM U1028, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier, 95 bd Pinel, 69675 Bron Cedex, France
| | - Denis Pierron
- Laboratoire d'Anthropologie Moléculaire et Imagerie de Synthèse, CNRS UMR 5288, Université Toulouse 3, 37 Allées Jules Guesde, 31073 Toulouse Cedex 3, France
| | - Moustafa Bensafi
- Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5292, INSERM U1028, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre Hospitalier Le Vinatier, 95 bd Pinel, 69675 Bron Cedex, France
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11
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Sorokowska A, Oleszkiewicz A. Body-odor based assessments of sex and personality - Non-significant differences between blind and sighted odor raters. Physiol Behav 2019; 210:112573. [PMID: 31248615 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.112573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
People exhibit different sensitivity to the signaling properties of body odors in the social context. Here, we aimed to investigate whether visual status modulates sensitivity to socially-relevant cues carried by body odors and whether it affects psychophysical ratings of such smells. We compared abilities of 19 early-blind, 9 late-blind and 13 sighted people to accurately assess sex, neuroticism and dominance of odor donors based on body odor samples. We showed that early blind, late blind and sighted people do not differ in accuracy of sex and personality assessments based on body odor samples. Additionally, the three participating groups perceived the presented body odor samples as similarly intense, pleasant and attractive. We discuss our findings in the context of interpersonal olfactory communication and olfactory compensation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Sorokowska
- Smell and Taste Research Lab, Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, pl. Dawida 1, 50-527 Wroclaw, Poland; Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Anna Oleszkiewicz
- Smell and Taste Research Lab, Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, pl. Dawida 1, 50-527 Wroclaw, Poland; Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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12
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Mahmut MK, Stevenson RJ, Stephen I. Do women love their partner's smell? Exploring women's preferences for and identification of male partner and non-partner body odor. Physiol Behav 2019; 210:112517. [PMID: 30982654 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Despite evidence indicating body odor (BO) preference is an important driver in mate selection, previous studies have only investigated females' preferences for the BO of strangers. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to determine if partnered females prefer their partner's BO compared to that of others males' BO. Forty partnered and 42 single, heterosexual women aged 18-35 years, brought to the laboratory a shirt their partner or male friend/relative (respectively) sweated in while wearing. The results indicated that both partnered and single women (blindly) rated their known donor's BO as smelling significantly more similar, familiar and sexy compared to six unknown male's BO, but rated their known donor's BO as less intense smelling than unknown males' BO. While participants indicated they liked their known donor's BO more than that of unknown males' BO, the difference was not statistically significant. Moreover, participants were unlikely to rank their known donor's BO as their most preferred of seven BOs. Finally, partnered and single participants could reliably recognise their known donor's BO and that of unknown males' which was driven by their ability to indicate a stranger's BO was not that of known donor's. Overall, these preliminary findings suggest that partnered females may prefer their partners' BO but this preference may not be due to mate selection but instead a consequence of repeated exposure to their partner's BO.
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13
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Sorokowska A, Pietrowski D, Schäfer L, Kromer J, Schmidt AH, Sauter J, Hummel T, Croy I. Human Leukocyte Antigen similarity decreases partners' and strangers' body odor attractiveness for women not using hormonal contraception. Horm Behav 2018; 106:144-149. [PMID: 30339817 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2018.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 09/13/2018] [Accepted: 10/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) is a gene complex that encodes important elements of the human immune system. HLA profile is communicated via olfaction and interindividual diversity is assumed to be advantageous for mate choice. Additionally, HLA diversity appears to enhance satisfaction and sexual attraction in existing romantic partnerships. However, whether this effect is transmitted via body odors and whether it results in an attraction towards HLA-dissimilar individuals and/or an avoidance of HLA-similar ones remains unclear. In the present study, we genotyped couples and asked each participant to rate a body odor sample from their partner and from three strangers of the opposite sex who expressed a similar or dissimilar HLA-B and HLA-C genotype. We found no statistically significant preference for HLA similarity or dissimilarity in men. Among women, the observed effects differed depending on hormonal contraception status. Like men, women on hormonal contraception did not exhibit significant HLA-related preferences. However, for women not using hormonal contraceptives, odors from HLA-B and HLA-C similar donors were significantly less attractive than those from HLA-dissimilar donors, regardless of whether the samples were from a partner or a stranger. Our findings support the hypothesis that HLA similarity is perceived via body odors and that such similarity affects human attraction. This mechanism may serve an evolutionarily adaptive function in preventing prospective offspring from having decreased immunocompetence, or decreasing the chance of kin mating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Sorokowska
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany; Smell & Taste Research Lab, Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, pl. Dawida 1, 50-527, Wroclaw, Poland.
| | - Diana Pietrowski
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Laura Schäfer
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Jana Kromer
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | | | - Jürgen Sauter
- DKMS German Bone Marrow Donor Center, Kressbach 1, 72072 Tübingen, Germany.
| | - Thomas Hummel
- Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
| | - Ilona Croy
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
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Croy I, Mohr T, Weidner K, Hummel T, Junge-Hoffmeister J. Mother-child bonding is associated with the maternal perception of the child's body odor. Physiol Behav 2019; 198:151-7. [PMID: 30261171 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/23/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Mothers can recognize the odor of their baby and typically adore this odor. In line with this observation, infant body odors activate reward-related brain areas in the mothers. In some mother-child-dyads however, the mutual bond is impaired and mothers have trouble engaging in interaction with their child. We aimed to examine how mothers with bonding difficulties perceive their child's body odor. In total, 75 mothers of babies aged 0-12 months were examined: Twenty-five of those were recruited in a psychosomatic day hospital ward, which is specialized for mother-child bonding disorders. Fifty age-matched healthy women and their babies served as controls. Body odor samples of each baby were collected from bodysuits in a highly standardized procedure. Thereafter, each mother rated the samples of her own and two other infants in a blind and randomized design. In addition, general olfactory function in terms of threshold and identification ability was tested and the mother reported the bonding to her baby in a standardized questionnaire. Healthy mothers showed a clear preference of their own compared to odors of other infant's, while mothers with bonding difficulties did not. Furthermore, the degree of preference was negatively correlated to self-reported bonding difficulties. Mothers with bonding difficulties could not identify their own infant's odor above chance, while control mothers could. Both groups did not differ in general olfactory function. We assume that reduced close body contact and interaction time associated with bonding difficulties may lead to reduced exposure and hinder the recognition of the infantile body odor. Within a vicious cycle, a reduced hedonic experience smelling their own baby may prevent women from deliberately approaching the baby. Thus, the positive and bond-building consequences of bodily and sensory interaction cannot unfold. As the baby's odor is normally perceived as very pleasant and rewarding, the conscious perception of the infantile body odor may be an additive therapeutic approach for mothers with bonding difficulties.
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15
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Millet P, Opiekun M, Martin T, Beauchamp GK, Kimball BA. Cytokine contributions to alterations of the volatile metabolome induced by inflammation. Brain Behav Immun 2018; 69:312-320. [PMID: 29241669 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2017.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Revised: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies demonstrate that inflammation affects body odor. Volatile signals associated with inflammation induced by pyrogens like LPS are detectable both by conspecifics and chemical analyses. However, little is known about the mechanisms which translate detection of a foreign molecule or pathogen into a unique body odor, or even how unique that odor may be. Here, we utilized C57BL/6J trained mice to identify the odor of LPS-treated conspecifics to investigate potential pathways between LPS-induced inflammation and changes in body odor, as represented by changes in urine odor. We hypothesized that the change in volatile metabolites could be caused directly by the pro-inflammatory cytokine response mediated by TNF or IL-1β, or by the compensatory anti-inflammatory response mediated by IL-10. We found that trained biosensors generalized learned LPS-associated odors to TNF-induced odors, but not to IL-1β or IL-10-induced odors. Analyses of urine volatiles using headspace gas chromatography revealed distinct profiles of volatile compounds for each treatment. Instrumental discrimination relied on a mixture of compounds, including 2-sec-butyl-4,5-dihydrothiazole, cedrol, nonanal, benzaldehyde, acetic acid, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, and dehydro-exo-brevicomin. Although interpretation of LDA modeling differed from behavioral testing, it does suggest that treatment with TNF, IL-1β, and LPS can be distinguished by their resultant volatile profiles. These findings indicate there is information found in body odors on the presence of specific cytokines. This result is encouraging for the future of disease diagnosis via analysis of volatiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Millet
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
| | | | - Talia Martin
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | | | - Bruce A Kimball
- USDA-APHIS-WS National Wildlife Research Center, Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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Croy I, Frackowiak T, Hummel T, Sorokowska A. Babies Smell Wonderful to Their Parents, Teenagers Do Not: an Exploratory Questionnaire Study on Children's Age and Personal Odor Ratings in a Polish Sample. CHEMOSENS PERCEPT 2017; 10:81-87. [PMID: 28932343 PMCID: PMC5574933 DOI: 10.1007/s12078-017-9230-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Infant body odor is subjectively pleasant to parents and activates reward areas in the brain. Hence, body odor perception might contribute to parental bonding. However, it is unknown whether the perceived pleasantness of children's body odor varies over the course of a child's development. METHODS Two hundred and thirty-five parents (M = 36.9 years, SD = 7.3) were asked to assess the personal odor pleasantness of their children (N = 367; M = 9.3 years, SD = 6.4). RESULTS Odor pleasantness was found to decrease as a function of children's age. Neither sex of the parent nor sex of the child contributed significantly to this effect. CONCLUSIONS We propose that the effect of age-related changes on personal odor pleasantness reflects olfactory modulation of parental-child relationships. IMPLICATIONS Our study suggests that perception of young children's personal odor as pleasant may contribute to bonding and thereby caretaking, which is needed to a lesser degree after puberty than before.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilona Croy
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Tomasz Frackowiak
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, ul. Dawida 1, 50-527 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Thomas Hummel
- Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Agnieszka Sorokowska
- Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatic Medicine, TU Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, ul. Dawida 1, 50-527 Wroclaw, Poland
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Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue (Chemosignals and Reproduction). As highly visual animals, primates, in general, and Old World species (including humans), in particular, are not immediately recognized for reliance in their daily interactions on olfactory communication. Nevertheless, views on primate olfactory acuity and the pervasiveness of their scent signaling are changing, with increased appreciation for the important role of body odors in primate social and sexual behavior. All major taxonomic groups, from lemurs to humans, are endowed with scent-producing organs, and either deposit or exude a wealth of volatile compounds, many of which are known semiochemicals. This review takes a comparative perspective to illustrate the reproductive context of primate signaling, the relevant information content of their signals, the sexually differentiated investigative responses generated, and the behavioral or physiological consequences of message transmission to both signaler and receiver. Throughout, humans are placed alongside their relatives to illustrate the evolutionary continuum in the sexual selection of primate chemosignals. This ever-growing body of evidence points to a critical role of scent in guiding the social behavior and reproductive function throughout the primate order.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine M Drea
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0383, USA; Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0383, USA.
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Abstract
Many studies have demonstrated that smell is an important sense in social interactions, and recently it was determined that olfactory cues might also convey information concerning certain personality traits. The present study investigated whether personality traits might be recognized using olfactory cues in contexts other than male–female interactions. 75 children (35 girls and 40 boys, M = 8.29 years) and 75 young adults (41 women and 34 men, M = 20.5 years) rated the personality traits of 50 unknown individuals (24 women and 26 men, M = 24.02 years) based on their body odor. The correlations between scent ratings and the self-assessed personality dimensions of odor donors were analyzed. The results show that both children and adults assess neuroticism relatively accurately, whereas only adults recognized dominance. These results suggest that olfaction supplements visual and auditory cues throughout our whole lives, contributing to the first impression accuracy of certain personality traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Sorokowska
- Institute of Psychology, University of Wroclaw, Ul. Dawida 1, 50-527 Wrocław, Poland
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