Question: From evolution, do humans still retain the (now probably unconscious) ability to detect pheremones and learn things about the opposite sex? Will that instinct phase out of the human species?
It’s known that heaps of animals, and even algae, yeast and bacteria communicate via pheromones. That was discovered from the 1960’s onwards, and since that time researchers have been looking for pheromone communication in humans. It’s hard to do because you have to find the chemical compound that acts as a pheromone, separate it out from all the other chemicals going round, then test it on humans to see if it has some effect.
There have been studies which indicate that we may have pheromones. In one study, volunteers smelt the sweat of people who were about to go skydiving (and were terrified) and some non-stressed people. The volunteers brains lit up in the part which detects fear, but they didn’t actually feel the fear themselves. Another study showed that women living in close contact end up with synchronised menstrual cycles, suggesting that some sort of pheromone passes between them.
These studies are not enough to prove that humans still use pheromones to communicate, but they do suggest that we might. If we do still use pheromones, then they may or may not stay in our DNA. If they are beneficial to life and reproduction, then they probably will, if not, they may be lost.
Difficult to study, this, because pheromones are quite powerful molecules, so are usually present in quite small amounts.
The evidence suggests that we still use pheromones and other signalling chemicals to learn things about people. Animals definitely do this. The question is how much do we do it?
As Aimee says we will continue if it brings some advantage. It may be that we find things out about each other much more effectively by talking to each other. My ability to have kids (which is related to how successful I am in evolution) is probably more heavily influenced by things besides whether I give off certain chemicals. Our social existence as humans may well be over-riding a lot of the pheromone effect.
On the other hand, if I was able to secrete a pheromone that made me TOTALLY IRRESISTIBLE to women, I would be pretty successful. Maybe such a thing doesn’t really exist, and as you say, the pheromones mean we just learn a little bit about how people are feeling.
You’re quite right to suggest that these things can change – that things can phase out. It’s very interesting. Perhaps my ability/inability to speak clearly, or the car I drive or the house I own, or the wealth/poverty of my parents are more important factors in how successful I am (in terms of survival) these days. And then we’re no longer slaves to our secretions…
Hi spiffymonocle, this one is still unconfirmed.
It’s known that heaps of animals, and even algae, yeast and bacteria communicate via pheromones. That was discovered from the 1960’s onwards, and since that time researchers have been looking for pheromone communication in humans. It’s hard to do because you have to find the chemical compound that acts as a pheromone, separate it out from all the other chemicals going round, then test it on humans to see if it has some effect.
There have been studies which indicate that we may have pheromones. In one study, volunteers smelt the sweat of people who were about to go skydiving (and were terrified) and some non-stressed people. The volunteers brains lit up in the part which detects fear, but they didn’t actually feel the fear themselves. Another study showed that women living in close contact end up with synchronised menstrual cycles, suggesting that some sort of pheromone passes between them.
These studies are not enough to prove that humans still use pheromones to communicate, but they do suggest that we might. If we do still use pheromones, then they may or may not stay in our DNA. If they are beneficial to life and reproduction, then they probably will, if not, they may be lost.
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Difficult to study, this, because pheromones are quite powerful molecules, so are usually present in quite small amounts.
The evidence suggests that we still use pheromones and other signalling chemicals to learn things about people. Animals definitely do this. The question is how much do we do it?
As Aimee says we will continue if it brings some advantage. It may be that we find things out about each other much more effectively by talking to each other. My ability to have kids (which is related to how successful I am in evolution) is probably more heavily influenced by things besides whether I give off certain chemicals. Our social existence as humans may well be over-riding a lot of the pheromone effect.
On the other hand, if I was able to secrete a pheromone that made me TOTALLY IRRESISTIBLE to women, I would be pretty successful. Maybe such a thing doesn’t really exist, and as you say, the pheromones mean we just learn a little bit about how people are feeling.
You’re quite right to suggest that these things can change – that things can phase out. It’s very interesting. Perhaps my ability/inability to speak clearly, or the car I drive or the house I own, or the wealth/poverty of my parents are more important factors in how successful I am (in terms of survival) these days. And then we’re no longer slaves to our secretions…
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