title: Pheromonal influences on sociosexual behavior in young women.
abstract: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of a synthesized putative female pheromone was conducted with regularly menstruating, university women (N=36, mean age=27.8). The pheromone formula was derived from earlier work investigating the underarm secretions of fertile, sexually active, heterosexual women. A vial of either synthesized pheromone or placebo was selected blindly and added to a subject's perfume. Subjects recorded seven sociosexual behaviors and reported them weekly across three menstrual cycles. Beginning with Day 8 of each cycle, the first cycle contained a 2-week baseline period followed by an experimental period of as many as 3 weeks each from the next two cycles for a maximum of 6 weeks. The 19 pheromone and 17 placebo subjects did not differ significantly in age, weight, body mass index, dating status or ethnicity nor in reported accuracy, back-filling data, perception of a positive effect or perfume use. Placebo subjects were significantly taller than pheromone subjects. Except for male approaches, subjects did not differ significantly at baseline in average weekly sociosexual behaviors. A significantly greater proportion of pheromone users compared with placebo users increased over baseline in frequency of sexual intercourse, sleeping next to a partner, formal dates and petting/affection/kissing but not in frequency of male approaches, informal dates or masturbation. Three or more sociosexual behaviors increased over baseline for 74% of pheromone users compared with 23% of placebo users. We conclude that this synthesized pheromone formula acted as a sex attractant pheromone and increased the sexual attractiveness of women to men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA 94132-4168, USA. mccoy@sfsu.edu
authors.forename: Norma L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pitino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008418:Masturbation / Q000523:psychology; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010675:Pheromones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D012919:Social Behavior; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical
chemical_list: D010675:Pheromones