The scent of fear.
In this study we tried to find out if fear can be detected from human body odours. Female subjects wore under-arm axillary pads while watching a terrifying film. Saliva cortisol samples were taken before and after the film presentation as a hormonal measure for the fear response. The fear experience itself was measured by Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. A "neutral" film, shown one day after the "fear" film, was used as a control in a repeated measures design. In part two of the experiment, the axillary pads were presented to female subjects in a triple forced choice test. Results show that subjects were able to discriminate between fear and non-fear axillary pads, suggesting that women are indeed able to detect "the scent of fear". A direct correlation between induced fear, changes in cortisol levels and smell ratings could not be established. Thus cortisol levels are probably not the inducer of the scent of fear and a hypothetical fear pheromone could have other origins.
Ackerl
Kerstin
K
Ludwig-Boltzmann-Institute for Urban Ethology, Institute of Anthropology/University of Vienna, Austria.
Atzmueller
Michaela
M
Grammer
Karl
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology; D003142:Communication; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis; D010675:Pheromones / Q000502:physiology*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000737:chemistry; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*
D010675:Pheromones; D006854:Hydrocortisone