Do women respond differently to men of different ages based on their body odors?
Theresa F. Censoplano Abstract If males at the prime of their sexual peak tend to have higher fertility and thus produce the most offspring, then evolution should favor females who are able to detect such changes in virility and select them as mates. Alternately, the theory of sexual selection suggests that females may choose mates based on their ability to provide adequate resources to allow the successful rearing of their young. In humans, control of resources generally increases with age, suggesting that evolution may have favored females who choose older, more established mates. This study was performed to determine whether or not women show any age selection based on the male pheromones present in t-shirts worn by men of different ages. Female participants sniffed t-shirts that had been worn by male participants in various age categories. When data from all females was pooled, there was no difference in perception of any category of male odor based on the age of the scent donor, s
