SAQ Biological (Pheromones)

Potential Q

Explain 1 study of the potential role of pheromones in human behaviour.

What are pheromones?

A chemical secreted or excreted by an organism which triggers a response in members of the same species.

What behaviours do pheromones affect?

Sexual and mating behaviours but there is no pheromones in humans.

What is an example of a pheromone and where is it found?

Androstadienone is found in male sweat.

What was the aim of Zhou et al?

To investigate whether androstadienone influences human behaviour.

What was the design and sample?

Lab experiment and sample was heterosexual women and men and homosexual men and women.

What was the method?

• participants watched stick figures walking on a screen and then asked to guess gender of stick figure

• They let out the scent of cloves and in the experimental condition the cloves were missed with androstadienone and in the control it was just cloves.

What did Zhou find?

When heterosexual women and gay men were exposed to androstadienone there was a higher rate of seeing the stick figures as a male than the control group and the androstadienone had no significant effect on heterosexual men and homosexual women.

What’s the conclusion?

Androstadienone can be a pheromone that influences behaviour on humans in terms of mating.