The Influence Of Passive Inhalation Of Androstadienone On Women’s Preference For Sexually Dimorphic Male Faces

Chemical communication is a fundamental means of social interaction and communication among organisms in the natural world.An increasing number of studies indicated that human can communicate socially relevant information,such as gender,dominance and the preparation for competition,via chemical communication.As a derivative of testosterone,androstadienone(AND)can influence human psychological and physiological states.To further investigate the behavioral effects of AND on women’s preferences in a mate-choice context,the aim of the study was to explore the influence of AND on women’s preferences for male sexual dimorphic faces in a mate-choice context.The aim of the experiment 1 was to explore the influence of AND on luteal women’s preferences for low attractive male sexual dimorphic faces in a mate-choice context.The aim of the experiment 2 was to explore the influence of AND on ovulatory and luteal women’s preferences for medium attractive male sexual dimorphic faces in a mate-choice context.The aim of the experiment3 was to explore the influence of AND on women’s preferences for low and medium attractive male sexual dimorphic faces in a mate-choice context.In the experiment 1,we asked 52 females in the luteal phase to choose one from four sexual dimorphic male faces in a long-term and short-term context while inhaling AND or a placebo odor on two consecutive days.Results revealed that participants had a greater and lesser preference for the +30% masculinized and +60% feminized faces,respectively,while inhaling AND,as compared to when inhaling the placebo.In the experiment 2,we recruited 58 females(32 was in the ovulatory phase;26 was in the luteal phase)to choose one from two sexual dimorphic male faces in a long-term and short-term context while inhaling AND or a placebo odor on two consecutive days.Results revealed that AND decreased women’s preference for +50% masculinized faces.Participants,who is in the ovulatory phase with drug order(AND then Placebo)had a lesser preference for the +50% masculinized faces,respectively,while inhaling AND,as compared to when inhaling the placebo.Participants,who is in the luteal phase,had a lesser preference for the +50% masculinized faces regardless of the relationship context and drug order,respectively,while inhaling AND,as compared to when inhaling the placebo.In the experiment 3,we recruited 31 females(23 was in the ovulatory phase;8 was in the luteal phase)to choose one from two low or medium attractive sexual dimorphic male faces in a long-term and short-term context while inhaling AND or a placebo odor on two consecutive days.Results revealed that participants had a lesser preference for the +50% masculinized faces of medium attractive faces in the long-term relationship,respectively,while inhaling AND,as compared to when inhaling the placebo.Participants,who is in the luteal phase,had a greater preference for the+50% masculinized faces of low attractive faces in the short-term relationship,respectively,while inhaling AND,as compared to when inhaling the placebo.All in all,we have a conclusion that the AND intervention may influence the women’s preference for masculine male faces in the mate-choice context.According to the result of study 1,we found that the AND intervention increased the preference for the low attractive masculine male faces and decreased the preference for feminine male faces.Based on the result of study 2,we found that AND intervention decreased the preference for masculine faces of medium attractive male faces.In study 3,we found that the effect of AND intervention may be mediated by the attractive levels of male faces.Combined with previous research,we considered that AND may affect mate preference based on the special mating stimulus in an unconscious manner.