Pheromones

    Cards (10)

    • Pheromones are chemical messengers that communicate information from one member of a species to another.
      They are processed in the accessory olfactory bulb in animals, but whether or not there exists a biological mechanism to process pheromones in humans is unclear as no one has definitely identified a human pheromone yet, making this a key problem.
    • Androstadienone is a testosterone derivative compound that has been suggested to be a human
      pheromone. It seems to be a likely candidate for signalling aggression, dominance, and competition
      especially in relation to mate selection.
    • Who conducted the study on the effect of androstadienone on women's mood?
      Lundstrom and Olsson
    • What was the aim of Lundstrom and Olsson's study?
      To investigate the effect of androstadienone on the mood of women in the presence of men
    • What method did Lundstrom and Olsson use to measure the mood of participants?
      • Questionnaires measuring mood
      • Sample size: 37 heterosexual women
      • Mean age: 25
      • Normal menstrual cycle
    • What were the two independent variables manipulated in the study?
      Exposure to androstadienone or a control, and the gender of the experimenter
    • How many women participated in Lundstrom and Olsson's study?
      37 women
    • What was the mean age of the women in the study?
      25 years old
    • What was the significant finding regarding women's mood in the study?
      Women's mood increased only when the experimenter was male
    • What conclusion did Lundstrom and Olsson draw from their study regarding androstadienone?
      • AND may signal sexual attractiveness
      • Supports its role as a pheromone
    See similar decks