Month: September 2022

I WILL NEITHER AFFIRM NOR DENY. “The likelihood that there are functional human pheromones has been both asserted and denied, both without direct experimental evidence: the finding of clear pheromonal effects in monkeys and the recent observation of menstrual synchronization between close friends reopen the possibility more definitely, and make direct experiment obligatory.” (1971). https://lnkd.in/d9C4XZD View in LinkedIn

BUT THE TECHNOLOGY EXISTS. “The practical importance of such research lies in the possibility of primer control over human endocrine cycles and reproduction generally . . . . Even the study of simple "releaser" effects could clarify a field of human, and especially developmental, biology which has been so far suspected rather than elucidated. Odour fingerprinting techniques and gas chromatography now make the detection and preparation of human pheromonal agents feasible if they exist." (1971) https://lnkd.in/d9C4XZD View in LinkedIn

THE MILDER VERSION. “A Field Trial to Investigate Human Pheromones Associated with Hostile Intent. “A number of research programmes have been designed to investigate the possibility of detecting hostile intent. The notion that each individual, be it an insect, human or any other species, secretes a characteristic 'blend' of volatile chemicals, has attracted the attention of the research community.” (2017). https://lnkd.in/duQmc23 View in LinkedIn

AGGRESSION PHEROMONE. “Suspect Detection Systems, an Israeli company, has been testing Cogito, an expert system aimed at detecting individuals who may have terrorist intentions. Commercial companies have also developed systems for the detection of hostile intent. The hostile intent study progressed through three stages: pre-trial preparation, baseline data collection, and the main study that contained two traverses of the shopping mall.” https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9781315587080/chapters/10.1201/9781315587080-10 View in LinkedIn

REVIEW OF PHEROMONES (2019). “Reproducible research into human semiochemical cues and pheromones: learning from psychology’s renaissance. By Tristram D. Wyatt, Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research, University College London, London, and Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.” https://lnkd.in/drx5_4e View in LinkedIn

CHEMICAL CUES TO BEHAVIOR. “As with other mammals, smell in the form of semiochemicals is likely to influence the behaviour of humans, as olfactory cues to emotions, health, and mate choice. A subset of semiochemicals, pheromones, chemical signals within a species, have been identified in many mammal species. As mammals, we may have pheromones too.” https://lnkd.in/drx5_4e View in LinkedIn

MUDDY FIELD. “Sadly, the story of molecules claimed to be ‘putative human pheromones’ is a classic example of bad science carried out by good scientists. Much of human semiochemicals research including work on ‘human pheromones’ and olfactory cues comes within the field of psychology.” https://lnkd.in/drx5_4e View in LinkedIn

AMPLE EVIDENCE. “Our sense of smell is undoubtedly an important influence on our behaviour, a view supported by ample evidence in the papers in this special issue and previously reviewed by Doty.” https://lnkd.in/drx5_4e View in LinkedIn