Welcome to the Pheromone Research summaries section. Here I’ll provide you some links to researches conducted related to our pheromone topic as well as providing an easy to read summery + key points that might come useful for us as pheromone product users.
Copulins
Effect of Copulins on Rating of Female Attractiveness, Mate-Guarding, and Self-Perceived Sexual Desirability (2016)
Authors: Megan N. Williams and Amy Jacobson
Link: https://doi.org/10.1177/1474704916643328
Men exposed to copulins rated female faces as more attractive than controls and also rated themselves as more sexually desirable to women. No significant effects were found for mate-guarding behavior, suggesting copulins may influence perceptions of attraction and self-confidence rather than possessive behaviors.
Do “Copulins” Have an Effect on Men’s Testosterone Levels and Social Behavior (2012)
Authors: Steinbach, Oberzaucher & Grammer
This study found that men exposed to synthetic copulin exhibited an increase in testosterone levels. Interestingly, their assessments of female facial attractiveness were higher on a scaled rating system and less varied, suggesting that copulin exposure may influence both hormonal responses and how men perceive female attractiveness.
Synthetic Copulin Does Not Affect Men’s Sexual Behavior (2018)
Authors: Megan N. Williams and Coren L. Apicella
Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40750-017-0083-y
This study found that synthetic copulin exposure did increase men’s sexual motivation on an incentivized behavioral task, self-reported willingness to take sexual risks, preference for short-term mating, perceptions of female attractiveness, and self-reported mate value. Despite finding these effects on motivation and perception, the study concluded that copulin did not affect actual sexual behavior.
Michael & Zumpe (1982) Rhesus Monkeys Copulins Effect Study
Authors: R.P. Michael and D. Zumpe
Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7175415/
In a study of rhesus monkeys housed in social groups, females treated with copulins received significantly more ejaculations, mounting attempts, and mounts than those treated with control ether. The study found that copulins influenced mate selection, with five males changing their sexual partner choice when exposed to copulins, indicating a significant role for olfactory communication in primate mate selection.
Androstenone
Kirk-Smith & Booth – Seat Preferences Experiment
In a naturalistic study, researchers impregnated seats in a dentist’s waiting room with androstenone. Female patients approached the treated seats, while male patients avoided them, suggesting androstenone may influence attraction-related spatial behaviors in a sex-specific manner.
Filsinger et al. (1984, 1985) – Judging Others
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/androstenone
In a 1984 study, men exposed to androstenone judged other men in photographs as more passive compared to those exposed to positive odors. In a follow-up study (1985), men exposed to androstenone judged male images less positively compared to androstenol and exaltolide. Women exposed to androstenone rated men and women’s photos as less sexy and perceived men as more weak.
Cowley & Brooksbank (1991) – Self-Perception
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/androstenol
Using a “necklace technique” where participants wore tubes impregnated with androstenol, this study found that women who wore androstenol reported more social interactions with men (but not with other women), and those interactions were longer and deeper. This suggests androstenol may enhance women’s social engagement with potential male partners.
Filsinger et al. (1984) – Self-Perception
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/androstenone
Women in the androstenone condition rated themselves as “less sexy” than controls. Men exposed to androstenone also rated themselves as less sexy in a follow-up study (1985), suggesting that androstenone may negatively affect self-perceived sexual desirability for both sexes.
Pause & Lübke (2014) – Link to Hormones
This research established links between putative pheromones and hormonal responses, providing a framework for understanding how compounds like androstenone and androstadienone may influence physiological states related to attraction. The study helped connect olfactory chemical signals to neuroendocrine pathways involved in human mating behavior.
Pause & Lübke (2014) – Role in Aggression
This research examined the potential role of chemosignals in modulating aggressive behavior, suggesting that certain compounds may influence social dynamics in ways that could indirectly affect mate competition and courtship behaviors.
Saxton et al. (2008) – Attraction (Natural Settings)
This study investigated the effects of putative pheromones on attraction in natural settings, providing ecological validity to laboratory findings on how human chemosignals may influence mate perception and selection in real-world social contexts.
Savic, I., et al. (2001) – Hypothalamic Activations
Authors: Savic, I., et al.
Link: Psychoneuroendocrinology publication
This neuroimaging study showed that smelling odorous sex hormone-like compounds causes sex-differentiated hypothalamic activations in humans. The hypothalamus is a key brain region associated with sexual behavior, suggesting these compounds can trigger neural responses linked to sexual attraction in a sex-specific manner.
Lundström & Olsson; Ferdenzi et al. – Studies on Attractiveness Perception
These studies examined how chemosensory signals affect perceptions of attractiveness, contributing to the understanding of how body odors and pheromonal compounds influence mate assessment and social judgments.
Zhou, W., et al. (2014) – Smell of Sex Pheromones Colors Our Perception of Gender
Link: Current Biology
This study found that smelling estratetraenol (EST) biased heterosexual males, but not females, toward perceiving gender-neutral walkers as more feminine, suggesting that this compound can communicate gender information subconsciously in a sexually dimorphic way related to attraction and mate assessment.
Lu, J., Ye, Y., & Wu, Y. – Little Evidence That Androstadienone Affects Social Distance-Dependent Prosocial Behaviour
Link: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
This pre-registered study found little evidence that androstadienone affects social distance-dependent prosocial behavior, suggesting that while some pheromonal compounds may influence perception and mood, their effects on actual social behavior may be limited or context-dependent.
Androstenol
Kirk-Smith, M., Booth, D. A., Carroll, D., & Davies, P. (1978) – Human Social Attitudes Affected by Androstenol
This foundational study demonstrated that androstenol exposure affected human social attitudes, establishing that this compound can influence interpersonal perceptions and social judgments related to attraction and mate assessment.
Black, S. L., & Biron, C. (1982) – Androstenol as a Human Pheromone: No Effect on Perceived Physical Attractiveness
Contrary to some expectations, female participants rated male confederates wearing an androstenol perfume as more attractive, demonstrating that androstenol may indeed influence perceived physical attractiveness in certain contexts.
Filsinger, E. E., Braun, J. J., & Monte, W. C. (1985) – Effects of Putative Pheromones on Human Judgments
Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/androstenone
Men exposed to androstenol rated images of other men as “sexier” than those in the unscented condition. However, women exposed to androstenol rated men as less sexy and more weak. These contrasting findings suggest androstenol’s effects on attraction judgments may be sex-dependent.
Savic, I., & Berglund, H. (2010) – Androstenol Activates the Hypothalamus in Women
This neuroimaging study found that androstenol activates the hypothalamus in women, suggesting this compound can trigger neural responses in brain regions associated with sexual behavior. This provides evidence for androstenol’s potential role in influencing female attraction and mate assessment at a neurological level.
EST (Estratetraenol)
Zhou et al., 2014 – Chemosensory Communication of Gender Through Two Human Steroids
Link: Current Biology
Found that smelling estratetraenol (EST) biased heterosexual males, but not females, toward perceiving gender-neutral walkers as more feminine, suggesting it can communicate gender information subconsciously in a sexually dimorphic way related to attraction and mate perception.
Hare et al., 2017 – Putative Sex-Specific Human Pheromones Do Not Affect Gender Perception, Attractiveness Ratings or Unfaithfulness Judgements
This double-blind study with 94 participants found that exposure to estratetraenol had no effect on gender perception, attractiveness ratings, or unfaithfulness judgments of opposite-sex faces. This contradicts the findings of Zhou et al. and suggests these substances may not function as human pheromones in the ways previously claimed.
Oren et al., 2019 – Estratetraenol Increases Preference for Large Sexual Reward
Found that exposure to estratetraenol affects self-reported sexual arousal and cognition among males, providing evidence for a link between this compound and human reproductive function. This suggests EST may influence male sexual motivation and reward processing related to attraction.
Ye et al., 2019 – Estratetraenol and Social Cognition
Demonstrated that estratetraenol exposure primes the identification of emotionally receptive states in potential mates, suggesting a role for EST in social cognition related to mating and the ability to detect romantic or sexual interest in others.
Savic et al., 2001 – Estratetraenol and Hypothalamic Activation
This neuroimaging study showed that exposure to estratetraenol activates the anterior hypothalamus in heterosexual males, a key brain region associated with sexual behavior. This indicates a sex-specific neural response to EST that may underlie its influence on male attraction and sexual interest.
2022 Study – Estratetraenol Increases Preference for Large Sexual Reward
Found that estratetraenol selectively increased preference for larger-later sexual rewards in heterosexual males, suggesting it may increase sexual motivation and facilitate behaviors associated with pursuing a sexual partner, such as courtship persistence and delayed gratification in mating contexts.
2018 Study – Women’s Fertility Cues Affect Cooperative Behavior
Proposed that estratetraenol may serve as a chemosignal that influences men’s cooperative behavior toward women. The study suggests this compound may mediate the influence of women’s body odor on male mating behavior, potentially facilitating pair-bonding and cooperative courtship dynamics.