Pheromones: Is sexy sweat the key to genetic diversity?
Normal Curves: Sexy Science, Serious Statistics · Regina Nuzzo and Kristin Sainani
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Show Notes
Sweaty t-shirt dating parties, sex pheromone dating sites, choosing your dating partner by sniffing them up — wacko fringe fads or evidence-based mating strategies? And what does your armpit stain have to do with your kids’ immune systems, or hormonal contraceptive pills, or divorce rates?
In this episode of Normal Curves, Kristin and Regina reach back into the 1990s and revisit the scientific paper that started it all: The Sweaty T-Shirt Study. They bring a sharp eye and open mind, critically examining the study and following the line of research to today. Along the way, they encounter interesting statistical topics—including correlated observations, within-person study design, and bar-chart blasphemy—with a short, surprising detour into Neanderthal sex.
Statistical topics
- Correlated observations
- Within-person study design
- Bar charts
- Data and methodological transparency
- Cherry-picking
- Meta-analysis
- Multiple testing
- Post-hoc analyses
Methodological morals
“Repeat after me: Bar charts are not for numerical data.”
“Those who ignore dependencies in their data are destined for flawed conclusions.”
References
- Nuzzo, R. Ah, Love at first whiff. Los Angeles Times. May 19, 2008.
- Papamarko, S. Pheromone parties attempt to match singles by scent. Yahoo!life. April 12, 2012.
- Sainani, K. Stone Age Gene Swap. Stanford Magazine. November/December 2011.
- Aldhous, P. Darling, You Smell Wonderfully Different. New Scientist. 6 May 1995.
- Wedekind C, Seebeck T, Bettens F, Paepke AJ. MHC-dependent mate preferences in humans. Proc Biol Sci. 1995; 260(1359):245-249. doi:10.1098/rspb.1995.0087
- Hedrick P, Loeschcke V. MHC and mate selection in humans?. Trends Ecol Evol. 1996;11(1):24. doi:10.1016/0169-5347(96)80237-0
- Wedekind C, Seebeck T. Reply from C. Wedekind and T. Seebeck. Trends Ecol Evol. 1996;11(1):24-25. doi:10.1016/0169-5347(96)81061-5
- Wedekind C, Füri S. Body odour preferences in men and women: do they aim for specific MHC combinations or simply heterozygosity?. Proc Biol Sci. 1997;264(1387):1471-1479. doi:10.1098/rspb.1997.0204
- Havlíček J, Winternitz J, Roberts SC. Major histocompatibility complex-associated odour preferences and human mate choice: near and far horizons. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2020;375(1800):20190260. doi:10.1098/rstb.2019.0260
Kristin and Regina’s online courses:
Demystifying Data: A Modern Approach to Statistical Understanding
Clinical Trials: Design, Strategy, and Analysis
Medical Statistics Certificate Program
Epidemiology and Clinical Research Graduate Certificate Program
Programs that we teach in:
Epidemiology and Clinical Research Graduate Certificate Program
Find us on:
Kristin - LinkedIn & Twitter/X
Regina - LinkedIn & ReginaNuzzo.com
- (00:00) - Introduction
- (02:27) - Pheromone Dating Parties
- (06:57) - Pheromone Dating Sites and Genetic Matching
- (10:47) - The Science of HLA Genes and Mate Selection
- (18:08) - Breaking Down the Original Sweaty T-Shirt Study
- (24:05) - Study Design Flaws and Data Transparency Issues
- (28:28) - Statistical Flaws: Correlated Observations Explained
- (36:19) - Analyzing the Study's Questionable Results
- (39:15) - The Pill's Influence on Scent Preferences
- (42:23) - Overstated Conclusions and Wandering Discussions
- (47:50) - Media Reactions and the Study’s Public Impact
- (54:03) - Other Studies and their results
- (56:42) - Conclusion