Abstract
Olfactory communication is very common amongst animals, and since the discovery of
an accessory olfactory system in humans, possible human olfactory communication has
gained considerable scientific interest. The importance of the human sense of smell
has by far been underestimated in the past. Humans and other primates have been regarded
as primarily ‘optical animals’ with highly developed powers of vision but a relatively
undeveloped sense of smell. In recent years this assumption has undergone major revision.
Several studies indicate that humans indeed seem to use olfactory communication and
are even able to produce and perceive certain pheromones; recent studies have found
that pheromones may play an important role in the behavioural and reproduction biology
of humans. In this article we review the present evidence of the effect of human pheromones
and discuss the role of olfactory cues in human sexual behaviour.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
August 19,
2004
Received:
April 30,
2004
Identification
Copyright
© 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
