subliminally perceived odours modulate female intrasexual competition an eye movement study下意识地感知气味物种将此行为演变成同种性别内调节女性竞争一个眼动研究.pdfVIP

Subliminally Perceived Odours Modulate Female Intrasexual Competition: An Eye Movement Study 1 2 1 1 1 Valentina Parma , Roberto Tirindelli , Angelo Bisazza , Stefano Massaccesi , Umberto Castiello * 1 Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy, 2 Department of Neuroscience, University of Parma, Parma, Italy Abstract Background: Evidence suggests that subliminal odorants influence human perception and behavior. It has been hypothesized that the human sex-steroid derived compound 4,16-androstadien-3-one (androstadienone) functions as a human chemosignal. The most intensively studied steroid compound, androstadienone is known to be biologically relevant since it seems to convey information about male mate quality to women. It is unclear if the effects of androstadienone are menstrual cycle related. Methodology/Principal Findings: In the first experiment, heterosexual women were exposed to androstadienone or a control compound and asked to view stimuli such as female faces, male faces and familiar objects while their eye movements were recorded. In the second experiment the same women were asked to rate the level of stimuli attractiveness following exposure to the study or control compound. The results indicated that women at high conception risk spent more time viewing the female than the male faces regardless of the compound administered. Women at a low conception risk exhibited a preference for female faces only following exposure to androstadienone. Conclusions/Significance: We contend that a woman’s level of fertility influences her evaluation of potential competitors (e.g., faces of o