Mishor et al. (2021)

Study Notes on Pheromones and Human Behavior: Mishor et al. (2021)

Pheromones and Aggression

• Background: Pheromones are chemical cues that initiate social and reproductive behaviors in animals.
• Animal Behavior: In animals, pheromones can trigger aggression, particularly in males defending territory or mates.

Human Pheromones

• Question of Existence: The existence of human pheromones, especially those influencing aggression, is still debated.
• Vomeronasal Organ (VNO): In animals, pheromones are detected by the VNO, but humans lack a functional VNO.

Mishor et al. (2021) Study

• Objective: To explore the potential role of hexadecanal, a molecule emitted from babies' heads, in human aggression.
• Experiment 1:
  • Participants: 67 men and 60 women, aged 21-34.
  • Design: Double-blind, independent samples. Participants were exposed to hexadecanal or a placebo.
  • Procedure: Involved in playing a computer game designed to provoke participants.
  • Results: Women exposed to hexadecanal showed more aggression (higher noise blasts) than those with the placebo. Men exposed to hexadecanal showed less aggression.
• Experiment 2:
  • Participants: 25 men and 24 women.
  • Design: Repeated measures with hexadecanal, placebo, or clean air in an fMRI setting.
  • Procedure: Participants played a game involving monetary theft and punishment.
  • Results: Women showed more punitive behavior when exposed to hexadecanal. Brain activity differences were observed in the left angular gyrus.

Critical Evaluation

• Bias and Causality: The study controlled for bias and attempted to establish causality, but the artificial nature of the experiments limits ecological validity.
• Measurement: The operationalization of aggression through noise blasts and monetary punishment in a game setting may not accurately reflect real-world aggression.
• Sample Size and Replication: Small sample sizes necessitate replication with larger groups for reliability.
• fMRI Findings: Brain activity observed in fMRI did not conclusively link to aggressive behavior.

Discussion on Human Pheromones

• Generalizations from Animal Research: Caution is advised in generalizing animal pheromone research to humans.
• Complexity of Human Aggression: Human aggression is influenced by a myriad of factors, including cognitive and sociocultural elements.
• Challenges in Human Scent Research: The complexity of human scent and the absence of a functional VNO in humans make the study of human pheromones challenging.

Conclusion

Mishor et al.'s research provides intriguing insights into the potential role of pheromones in human behavior, particularly aggression. However, the complexity of human behavior and the limitations of the study design call for cautious interpretation of the findings. Further research is needed to understand the role, if any, of pheromones in human social and aggressive behaviors.