Do Single Men Smell and Look Different to Partnered Men?

Overview

Journal Front Psychol

Date 2019 Mar 1

PMID 30814968

Citations 4

Authors

Mehmet K Mahmut

Richard J Stevenson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Previous research indicates human body odor (BO) can signal kinship, sickness and genetic compatibility. Based on research indicating single males have higher testosterone levels than partnered males and that higher testosterone levels are associated with stronger smelling BO, the current study aimed to determine if, by extension of previous findings, single males' BO smells stronger than partnered males' BO. Eighty-two heterosexual women aged 18-35 years rated the BO and faces of six different males also aged 18-35 years. Consistent with the hypothesis, single men's BO smelled stronger than partnered men's BO and single men's faces were rated as more masculine than partnered men's faces. The possible advantages of females being able to identify single males are addressed in the Discussion.

Citing Articles

Love Stinks: The Association between Body Odors and Romantic Relationship Commitment.

Keaveny M, Mahmut M Brain Sci. 2021; 11(11).

PMID: 34827521 PMC: 8615518. DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11111522.

The role of fragrance and self-esteem in perception of body odors and impressions of others.

Croijmans I, Beetsma D, Aarts H, Gortemaker I, Smeets M PLoS One. 2021; 16(11):e0258773.

PMID: 34780484 PMC: 8592444. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258773.

Scent of a Woman-Or Man: Odors Influence Person Knowledge.

Hovis N, Sheehe P, White T Brain Sci. 2021; 11(7).

PMID: 34356189 PMC: 8307153. DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11070955.

The scent of attraction and the smell of success: crossmodal influences on person perception.

Spence C Cogn Res Princ Implic. 2021; 6(1):46.

PMID: 34173932 PMC: 8233629. DOI: 10.1186/s41235-021-00311-3.

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