5 ms·

No actually females can typically "smell" (for lack of a better word) out of the sweat of males if the immune system markers are different enough to protect pot

No actually females can typically "smell" (for lack of a better word) out of the sweat of males if the immune system markers are different enough to protect potential offspring from getting the same sicknesses as mother or father. "In several species, including rodents and fish, it has been shown that the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) influences mating preferences" "This study thus supports the hypothesis that the MHC influences mate choice in some human populations." https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1000184 https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/jo...

astrange 5y ago
nb you said "typically" but the study says "some", and doesn't comment on if it's typical for any larger groups. For myself, can't say 23AndMe has ever asked if I think my partner smells good. Unless you meant female animals.
- fxtentacle 5y ago
  Yes, with "females can typically smell" I meant that this is widely accepted as true in the animal kingdom. For humans, the effect appears to be there, but we don't have any stronger evidence. Then again, this might be unpopular to research due to its social implications.
  - SamoyedFurFluff 5y ago
    > Then again, this might be unpopular to research due to its social implications. In the contrary I would suspect that being able to identify the specific chemical combinations that would make you hot would sell like crazy and there’s already snake oil on the market for this.
    - fxtentacle 5y ago
      Thing is, you need the MHC markers that your dream partner lacks, so the optimal chemical combination would be different for each couple. And the stuff we use to mask this effect - called perfume - is indeed pretty popular ;)
smeej 5y ago
This is true, but hormonal birth control all but destroys the innate ability to do this correctly. Most hormonal birth control functions by putting the body into a hormonal state that mimics pregnancy. If you're already carrying a baby, what you've evolved to look for in people to become close to during that time is actually people who are genetically more like you, rather than complementary. If for some reason you don't survive, your child will need a replacement for you, not a complement, especially if you conceived the child with someone complementary. I don't have them to hand, but there have been several studies of this involving t-shirts worn for several days by different men and women smelling them and ranking them. If the women stop using birth control, their whole perception changes. It's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. If your desire is specifically to have sex and not children, what you do to prevent children also makes you less likely to choose a partner who would produce children with you that would have the highest chances of survival. It's small wonder that if you try to put that person into that role later, it's not going to go very well.
- fxtentacle 5y ago
  wow TIL. But yeah, that intuitively makes sense. "Factorial ANOVA results showed that the group of nonpill users obtained higher scores on the PMI scale than the group of pill users (considering the fertile phase of the cycle)." where PMI = Partner's Masculinity Index https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S174360951530850X https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S17436... In short, pill birth control reduced the desirability of features considered traditionally masculine.
  - benrapscallion 5y ago
    You TIL’d a lot of incorrect information. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vomeronasal_organ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vomeronasal_organ
    - smeej 5y ago
      I can't follow what point you're trying to make here. Is is that one possible way people have proposed that humans might react to pheromones probably only exists vestigially in humans? Or by introducing us to the name of this organ, are you somehow under the impression you've debunked the idea that pheromones have any impact on human behavior at all?
watwut 5y ago
Human females typically prefer males that use deodorant. Human females can smell male sweat and typically find it smelly.
- fxtentacle 5y ago
  ... says the Axe advertisement with lots of paid models in it, so it must be the truth. "The Walk showcases how AXE can transform an everyday walk into an amazing journey of attraction." https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-new-axe-effect-ignites-the-possibilities-of-attraction-with-a-revolutionary-product-upgrade-301284701.html?tc=eml_cleartime https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-new-axe-effect-... But jokes aside, I can't find the study for it now but I thought I remembered reading somewhere that for long-term married women, smelling the sweat of their long-term partner can reduce anxiety. And from an evolutionary perspective, that would make sense: If your long-term partner is around, you're probably halfway safe.
  - watwut 5y ago
    As a woman, I can tell with certainty that male sweat smells. The female sweat smells too by the way. > And from an evolutionary perspective, that would make sense: If your long-term partner is around, you're probably halfway safe. Well, evolutionary, it kinda depends on who he is etc etc. Evolutionary, relationships were not guaranteed to be nice and cosy romantic.

astrange 5y ago

nb you said "typically" but the study says "some", and doesn't comment on if it's typical for any larger groups. For myself, can't say 23AndMe has ever asked if I think my partner smells good. Unless you meant female animals.

fxtentacle 5y ago
Yes, with "females can typically smell" I meant that this is widely accepted as true in the animal kingdom. For humans, the effect appears to be there, but we don't have any stronger evidence. Then again, this might be unpopular to research due to its social implications.
- SamoyedFurFluff 5y ago
  > Then again, this might be unpopular to research due to its social implications. In the contrary I would suspect that being able to identify the specific chemical combinations that would make you hot would sell like crazy and there’s already snake oil on the market for this.
  - fxtentacle 5y ago
    Thing is, you need the MHC markers that your dream partner lacks, so the optimal chemical combination would be different for each couple. And the stuff we use to mask this effect - called perfume - is indeed pretty popular ;)

smeej 5y ago

This is true, but hormonal birth control all but destroys the innate ability to do this correctly. Most hormonal birth control functions by putting the body into a hormonal state that mimics pregnancy. If you're already carrying a baby, what you've evolved to look for in people to become close to during that time is actually people who are genetically more like you, rather than complementary. If for some reason you don't survive, your child will need a replacement for you, not a complement, especially if you conceived the child with someone complementary. I don't have them to hand, but there have been several studies of this involving t-shirts worn for several days by different men and women smelling them and ranking them. If the women stop using birth control, their whole perception changes. It's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy. If your desire is specifically to have sex and not children, what you do to prevent children also makes you less likely to choose a partner who would produce children with you that would have the highest chances of survival. It's small wonder that if you try to put that person into that role later, it's not going to go very well.

fxtentacle 5y ago
wow TIL. But yeah, that intuitively makes sense. "Factorial ANOVA results showed that the group of nonpill users obtained higher scores on the PMI scale than the group of pill users (considering the fertile phase of the cycle)." where PMI = Partner's Masculinity Index https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S174360951530850X https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S17436... In short, pill birth control reduced the desirability of features considered traditionally masculine.
- benrapscallion 5y ago
  You TIL’d a lot of incorrect information. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vomeronasal_organ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vomeronasal_organ
  - smeej 5y ago
    I can't follow what point you're trying to make here. Is is that one possible way people have proposed that humans might react to pheromones probably only exists vestigially in humans? Or by introducing us to the name of this organ, are you somehow under the impression you've debunked the idea that pheromones have any impact on human behavior at all?

watwut 5y ago

Human females typically prefer males that use deodorant. Human females can smell male sweat and typically find it smelly.

fxtentacle 5y ago
... says the Axe advertisement with lots of paid models in it, so it must be the truth. "The Walk showcases how AXE can transform an everyday walk into an amazing journey of attraction." https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-new-axe-effect-ignites-the-possibilities-of-attraction-with-a-revolutionary-product-upgrade-301284701.html?tc=eml_cleartime https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-new-axe-effect-... But jokes aside, I can't find the study for it now but I thought I remembered reading somewhere that for long-term married women, smelling the sweat of their long-term partner can reduce anxiety. And from an evolutionary perspective, that would make sense: If your long-term partner is around, you're probably halfway safe.
- watwut 5y ago
  As a woman, I can tell with certainty that male sweat smells. The female sweat smells too by the way. > And from an evolutionary perspective, that would make sense: If your long-term partner is around, you're probably halfway safe. Well, evolutionary, it kinda depends on who he is etc etc. Evolutionary, relationships were not guaranteed to be nice and cosy romantic.