Role of Pheromones in Mediating Sexual Behavior

Question 1

Pheromones

Answer 1

hormones released by one individual that affect behavior/physiology of conspecific

found in sweat of humans

scent

Question 2

Vomeronasal Organ (VNO)

Answer 2

in most mammals, that is specialized to respond to pheromones

specialized olfactory receptors, respond only to pheromones

• direct connections to Medial Amygdala and Medial Preoptic Area of Hypothalamus

controversial in humans: exist/not? vestigial/functional?

Question 3

Humans do appear to respond to

Answer 3

pheromones

Question 4

Pheromones ______ rat behavior, ______ human behavior

Answer 4

control, influence

Question 5

Pheromones in women experiment

Answer 5

sweat of another woman in alcohol swabbed on upper lip of other women (!) (vs. placebo) => synchronized menstrual cycles

Question 6

Pheromones in men experiment

Answer 6

aftershave spiked with male pheromone (vs. placebo) => increased # of sexual interactions (inc’d attractiveness)