Study Suggests Women Can Sniff Out Single Men

We all know that most other animals respond strongly to pheromones. Humans have advanced brains unlike any other creature, but we still produce pheromones. How much influence do these emotionally overpowering chemicals still have on the human brain? A study in a recent edition of Frontiers in Psychology tests whether women can tell the difference between single and coupled men by scent.

How Pheromones and Hormones Relate to Mating

It seems inevitable that pheromones still play at least some role in human romantic interest. Over thousands of years, people have developed a multitude of cultural ways to express desire and sexual attraction, which have made pheromones less important. It's also true that women have dropped most of the physiological changes that occur during estrus. There are undeniably some remnants of our evolutionary past that stick around to help women choose a mate or sexual partner.

This study aimed to determine whether a woman's sense of smell can detect whether a man is in a relationship. It's well documented that Testosterone Levels are strongly influenced by whether or not a man is in a relationship. Men with a stable partner produce less Testosterone than guys that are still on the prowl. It's also true that men release Testosterone as a response to competition and victory, which can influence how men pursue women.

Does Relationship Status Influence Men's Pheromone or Odor Production?

There's reason to believe that men make less Testosterone when they are in a committed relationship because it helps the relationship stay together. The presence of their partner likely keeps Testosterone Levels under control and inhibits the desire to sleep around or abandon them. Humans have clearly evolved to have both parents raise the child, and hormone science supports this notion.

In other animals, Pheromone production is strongly related to Hormone Production. This is probably true for humans as well. The researchers for this study predict that Testosterone and Pheromones might be detectable via body odor. Specifically, they think that single guys may smell more strongly to women because of their higher Pheromone and Testosterone Concentrations. This could help women sort out eligible Bachelors from men with girlfriends or wives.

Putting Women's Noses to the Test

For this study, 91 men were selected, some single, others in relationships. In total, the guys were divided into 46 bachelors and 45 men that were spoken for. Each man was provided a shirt to wear for the day. Each of the men was required to exercise to the point of heavy sweating during some point in the day.

After the shirts were sufficiently marked by sweat and musk, the tops were collected for the next phase of examination. A group of 82 heterosexual women were chosen to give men's shirts a sniff test. Each woman was given six tops to smell and shown the guy associated with the shirt. They took a sniff of the armpit and were asked how strong the scent was and how they rated the appearance of the man.

Men's Odor Correlated with Availability

Researchers found that the results correlated well with their predictions. Single men had a more pungent scent, and their faces were rated more masculine. The authors of the study guessed that women could smell these differences as a means to help them choose men that weren't already spending their resources on another partner or family.

Perhaps surprisingly, these differences in scent didn't impact attractiveness. There was no correlation between attractiveness and scent. There was at least one notable connection, however. Women with partners viewed men in relationships as easier to trust and more loyal than the single guys. Single women didn't make these same observations.

While these results are interesting, they present a very incomplete picture. It's possible that hygiene plays a role in odor intensity. Single men might not be as focused on showering and overall cleanliness as guys with partners, for example. Still, this lays the groundwork for further studies that examine how scent, pheromones, and Testosterone influence attraction.

Word Count: 673