Assessing Putative Human Pheromones

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511546389.017

11 - Assessing Putative Human Pheromones

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 September 2009

Suma Jacob ,

Bethanne Zelano ,

Davinder J. S. Hayreh and

Edited by

Rémi Gervais and

Suma Jacob: Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, 5730 Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
Bethanne Zelano: Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, 5730 Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
Davinder J. S. Hayreh: Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, 5730 Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
Martha K. McClintock: Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, 5730 Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
Catherine Rouby: Affiliation:
Université Lyon I
Benoist Schaal: Affiliation:
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris
Danièle Dubois: Affiliation:
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris
Rémi Gervais: Affiliation:
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris
A. Holley: Affiliation:
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris

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Summary

Whether or not human pheromones exist and how they might influence human physiology and behavior have been debated for decades; for a review, see Preti and Wysocki (1999). In this chapter, we present the concepts and data that are shaping our understanding of pheromones and pheromone-like effects in humans and other species. This will include the semantic issues associated with use of the term “pheromone” and descriptions of experiments designed to determine the psychological effects of two putative human pheromones. The expectation that human pheromones can consistently elicit stereotyped behavior is unrealistic. We argue that it is more likely that airborne signals are context-dependent and have more general, modulatory effects that can best be captured conceptually in terms of “modulatory pheromones” or “social chemosignals” (McClintock, 2000). Research with humans also presents a unique opportunity to consider the functional role of an awareness or conscious experience of pheromones and social chemosignals, whereas animal research is limited to studies of overt behavior.

Definition of “Pheromone”

According to the classic definition (Karlson and Lüscher, 1959), pheromones are airborne chemical signals emitted by an individual that trigger specific neuroendocrine, behavioral, or developmental responses in other individuals of the same species. Early pheromone research began with insects (Karlson and Butenandt, 1959), and the term “pheromone” was coined to designate a group of externally released “active substances” that triggered specific behavioral responses and were similar to, but could not be called, hormones. An example is bombykol, a substance emitted by female silkworm moths.

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Type: Chapter
Information: Olfaction, Taste, and Cognition , pp. 178 - 195

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511546389.017 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2002

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