ZHOU ET AL. (2014)- pheromones

Zhou-AIM

To investigate the chemosensory communication of genders in a sex specific manner, through the testing of male and female reactions to the two human steroids: AND (signalling males) and EST (signalling females).

Zhou-METHOD

--> 96 self-reported heterosexual and homosexual males and females.

--> The AND, EST and the control substance were placed in identical jars from which the participants inhaled.

--> 'Point light displays' were employed, with 15 light dots positioned at major joints of walkers (taken from male and female walkers on treadmills). There were point lights from 50 males and 50 females.

Zhou-RESULT

--> smelling AND biased heterosexual females and homosexual male participants to perceive the walker as male and smelling EST biased heterosexual males and homosexual female participants perceive them as females.

--> The results from bisexual and homosexual females fell in between those of heterosexual males and females.

Zhou-CONCLUSION

--> Hence, there is direct evidence that the two hormones communicate opposite gender information that has a differential effect on the two sex groups, based on their sexual orientation.

--> This also shows that human visual gender perception is the result of subconscious chemosensory biological cues