Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/23162
Appears in Collections:Psychology Journal Articles
Peer Review Status: Refereed
Title: The impact of artificial fragrances on the assessment of mate quality cues in body odor
Author(s): Allen, Caroline
Cobey, Kelly D
Havlicek, Jan
Roberts, S Craig
Contact Email: craig.roberts@stir.ac.uk
Keywords: fragrance
olfactory communication
body odor
mate choice
cosmetics
perfume
Issue Date: Nov-2016
Date Deposited: 18-Apr-2016
Citation: Allen C, Cobey KD, Havlicek J & Roberts SC (2016) The impact of artificial fragrances on the assessment of mate quality cues in body odor. Evolution and Human Behavior, 37 (6), pp. 481-489. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.05.001
Abstract: We investigated the impact of artificial fragrances on the accurate detection of biologically relevant information in human body odor. To do this, we examined cross-sensory consistency (across faces and odors) in the perception of masculinity and femininity in men and women, and how consistency is influenced by the use of artificial fragrance. Independent sets of same and opposite-sex participants rated odor samples (with and without a fragrance, N = 239 raters), and photographs (N = 130) of 20 men and 20 women. In female, but not male raters, judgments of masculinity/femininity of non-fragranced odor and faces were correlated. However, the correlation between female ratings of male facial and odor masculinity was not evident when assessing a body odor and fragrance blend. Further analysis also indicated that differences in ratings of male odor masculinity between men with very masculine or high and low levels of facial masculinity were removed by the addition of fragrance. This effect was absent in ratings of female odors by both female and male raters, suggesting sex-specificity in the effects of fragrance on odor perception. The widespread use of artificial fragrance in many modern populations raises questions about how this cultural practice influences ability to detect and utilize mate-choice relevant cues. Our findings suggest that women may be more sensitive to these cues, and therefore also to disruption of this information through fragrance use. We discuss our results using the framework of culture-gene coevolution.
DOI Link: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.05.001
Rights: This item has been embargoed for a period. During the embargo please use the Request a Copy feature at the foot of the Repository record to request a copy directly from the author. You can only request a copy if you wish to use this work for your own research or private study. Accepted refereed manuscript of: Allen C, Cobey KD, Havlicek J & Roberts SC (2016) The impact of artificial fragrances on the assessment of mate quality cues in body odor, Evolution and Human Behavior, 37 (6), pp. 481-489. DOI: 10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.05.001 © 2016, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Licence URL(s): http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

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