Sex and Smell

July 30, 6:10 PMSan Antonio Relationships ExaminerIndarani Phillip

Previous Next

1 comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the San Antonio Relationships Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Smell has long been debated as being essential in attraction. /AP

 Pheromones, sex...is there truth to the idea that smell plays a huge role in who and how we're attracted to someone?

Some say that while some studies have shown some evidence of pheromones and a system of scent has something to do with mating between animals and plants, there is no sure proof that the same plays true for humans. (For more on smell as a chemical and pheromones see here.)

Others, as well as general comment in another survey conducted, suggests that people would agree that scent attracts. Beyond the superficial agreement that a smell indicating bad hygiene habits and therefore possible unsavory factors in personality that can be passed onto offspring (the children you have to consider you might have later with them), certain scents are thought to attract certain types of people.

Of course, over time, as you get to know someone, it can be said that you begin to associate their particular clean body smell with whatever other perfumes they’re wearing with pleasantness and this could cause you to want to be near them more, and induce attraction.

But here’s the argument where significant pheromones come in.

Don’t try smelling for someone’s pheromones, you can’t actually smell them, even if you’re brain is busily recognizing it and deciding if it’s compatible for you (that’s the idea, at least). Studies also show that to avoid a decline in population and therefore continue survival of a species, people who are related to you will give off pheromones that don’t attract you (to try to get away from incest).

As for romantic attraction, look at it this way: smell is the only sense doesn’t go with the rational part of us while it’s being sorted out in the brain. Smell registers in the limbic system, the center for seemingly random attractions with that particular strong, impassioned pull. Either way, it’s safe to say don’t rely solely on smell, although it probably can’t hurt to smell like something comforting or something associated with happiness, as according to the Social Issues Research Centre, smells are powerful for awakening--or recalling--the kind of intense emotion you're looking for in your love life.