Top stories: Black hole’s first close-up, pseudoarchaeology, and hunting for human pheromones

Science ◽  
2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Fox
Keyword(s):  
Human Pheromones

Human Pheromones: Releasers or Primers

1999 ◽  
pp. 315-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Preti ◽  
Charles J. Wysocki
Keyword(s):  
Human Pheromones

Assessing Putative Human Pheromones

2002 ◽  
pp. 178-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suma Jacob ◽  
Bethanne Zelano ◽  
Davinder J. S. Hayreh ◽  
Martha K. McClintock
Keyword(s):  
Human Pheromones

scholarly journals The search for human pheromones: the lost decades and the necessity of returning to first principles

2015 ◽  
Vol 282 (1804) ◽  
pp. 20142994 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tristram D. Wyatt
Keyword(s):  
First Principles ◽  
Physiological Response ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Sebaceous Glands ◽  
Lactating Mothers ◽  
Human Pheromones ◽  
Common Problems ◽  
Small Sample Sizes ◽  
Positive Results ◽  
Human Pheromone

As humans are mammals, it is possible, perhaps even probable, that we have pheromones. However, there is no robust bioassay-led evidence for the widely published claims that four steroid molecules are human pheromones: androstenone, androstenol, androstadienone and estratetraenol. In the absence of sound reasons to test the molecules, positive results in studies need to be treated with scepticism as these are highly likely to be false positives. Common problems include small sample sizes, an overestimate of effect size (as no effect can be expected), positive publication bias and lack of replication. Instead, if we are to find human pheromones, we need to treat ourselves as if we were a newly discovered mammal, and use the rigorous methods already proven successful in pheromone research on other species. Establishing a pheromone relies on demonstration of an odour-mediated behavioural or physiological response, identification and synthesis of the bioactive molecule(s), followed by bioassay confirmation of activity. Likely sources include our sebaceous glands. Comparison of secretions from adult and pre-pubertal humans may highlight potential molecules involved in sexual behaviour. One of the most promising human pheromone leads is a nipple secretion from the areola glands produced by all lactating mothers, which stimulates suckling by any baby not just their own.

scholarly journals Putative sex-specific human pheromones do not affect gender perception, attractiveness ratings or unfaithfulness judgements of opposite sex faces

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 160831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin M. Hare ◽  
Sophie Schlatter ◽  
Gillian Rhodes ◽  
Leigh W. Simmons
Keyword(s):  
Sex Pheromones ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Female Gender ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Gender Perception ◽  
Opposite Sex ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Human Pheromones ◽  
Human Participants

Debate continues over the existence of human sex pheromones. Two substances, androstadienone (AND) and estratetraenol (EST), were recently reported to signal male and female gender, respectively, potentially qualifying them as human sex pheromones. If AND and EST truly signal gender, then they should affect reproductively relevant behaviours such as mate perception. To test this hypothesis, heterosexual, Caucasian human participants completed two computer-based tasks twice, on two consecutive days, exposed to a control scent on one day and a putative pheromone (AND or EST) on the other. In the first task, 46 participants (24 male, 22 female) indicated the gender (male or female) of five gender-neutral facial morphs. Exposure to AND or EST had no effect on gender perception. In the second task, 94 participants (43 male, 51 female) rated photographs of opposite-sex faces for attractiveness and probable sexual unfaithfulness. Exposure to the putative pheromones had no effect on either attractiveness or unfaithfulness ratings. These results are consistent with those of other experimental studies and reviews that suggest AND and EST are unlikely to be human pheromones. The double-blind nature of the current study lends increased support to this conclusion. If human sex pheromones affect our judgements of gender, attractiveness or unfaithfulness from faces, they are unlikely to be AND or EST.

Human pheromones and sexual attraction

2005 ◽  
Vol 118 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Grammer ◽  
Bernhard Fink ◽  
Nick Neave
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Attraction ◽  
Human Pheromones

The steroids considered as human pheromones

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-314
Author(s):  
Josef Rajchard
Keyword(s):  
Human Pheromones

scholarly journals Reproducible research into human semiochemical cues and pheromones: learning from psychology’s renaissance

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tristram D Wyatt
Keyword(s):  
Mate Choice ◽  
Publication Bias ◽  
Life Sciences ◽  
Chemical Signals ◽  
Olfactory Cues ◽  
Reproducible Research ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Human Pheromones ◽  
Crisis In Psychology

As with other mammals, smell in the form of semiochemicals is likely to influence the behaviour of humans, as olfactory cues to emotions, health, and mate choice. A subset of semiochemicals, pheromones, chemical signals within a species, have been identified in many mammal species. As mammals, we may have pheromones too. Sadly, the story of molecules claimed to be ‘putative human pheromones’ is a classic example of bad science carried out by good scientists. Much of human semiochemicals research including work on ‘human pheromones’ and olfactory cues comes within the field of psychology. Thus, the research is highly likely to be affected by the ‘reproducibility crisis’ in psychology and other life sciences. Psychology researchers have responded with proposals to enable better, more reliable science, with an emphasis on enhancing reproducibility. A key change is the adoption of study pre-registration which will also reduce publication bias. Human semiochemicals research would benefit from adopting these proposals.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document