[Roardog]

I couldn't find the article but there was a study that said that when you like how someone else smells it's because you have compatible immune systems.
It's an old evolutionary trait that was developed to increase the chance of compatible couples mating.

[Comte De St. Germain]

(08-19-2015 08:23 PM)Roardog Wrote:  

I couldn't find the article but there was a study that said that when you like how someone else smells it's because you have compatible immune systems.
It's an old evolutionary trait that was developed to increase the chance of compatible couples mating.

I wouldn't be surprised that on nights out that you just click with that one hot girl easily it's because of this. Might be an evolutionary thing where certain types of babes are biologically attracted to you for similar reasons.

[glugger]

This girl said I smell nice. Is that beta?

[DamienCasanova]

I remember this girl I used to date would always do my laundry for me because she said she loved the way my musky sweaty gym clothes smelled and it turned her on.

I remember hearing a dating game like that or something too, where 3 men would sleep in a plain white t-shirt for 3 days and then a woman would smell each shirt afterwards and pick which guys' pheromones she was most attracted to.

I read somewhere too that if a woman is turned off by your natural smell you may have similar genes/ancestors, and that it was sort of an ancient mechanism for preventing inbreeding.

Definitely some truth to this.

[ksbms]

What last few posters referred to is known as MHC, that is Major Histocompatibility Complex and which is somewhat controversial. Anyway, let me quote from a research paper:

"MHC-correlated odour preferences have also been demonstrated in humans. In a remarkable study, Wedekind et al. (1995) presented male axillary odours, collected on t-shirts worn overnight, to female sniffers. Normally cycling women tested during the follicular phase of their menstrual cycles rated odours of MHC-dissimilar men as more pleasant than odours of MHC-similar men (see also Wedekind & Füri 1997). Additionally, odours of MHC-dissimilar men more often reminded women of current or previous partners, indicating that odour plays a role in partner choice." Source: MHC-correlated odour preferences in humans and the use of oral contraceptives. There are quite a few papers relating to this concept on the internet, for the keen.

I see that quite a few posters came to a conclusion that there is a clear causal link, such that 'if I apply scent S, then I get compliment that I smell nice', thereby aritifical scents enahnce girl's attraction, thereby invalidating my claim. Analogically, you can wear a christmas jumper with a reindeer and get compliments that you look nice wearing it. But her telling you you look nice in it, doesn't mean that you have increased her sexual attraction towards you. Her verbal approval of you smelling nice or wearing a nice jumper with embroidered reindeer is just that - a verbal expression. You can interpret it as her signalling to you something more (e.g., she is sexually attracted) but it will be all in your head to treat it as a causal factor. Artificial scents to be applied to the body are a very recent invention in comparison to million years of evolution selecting for human pheromones as signalling desirable mating opportunities.

Whereas I did not provide empirical evidence that artificial scents do mask pheromones, the contrary needs to be empirically proven as well. Enigma correcty pointed out that the burden of proof is on the person who makes the claim but by not having provided an empirical evidence for that proof (I'll try to find it but if I fail, I'll be first to acknowledge it), it doesn't mean that that the contrary is necessarily true.

In my view, the jury is still out.

[Ziltoid]

(08-21-2015 10:22 AM)ksbms Wrote:  

I see that quite a few posters came to a conclusion that there is a clear causal link, such that 'if I apply scent S, then I get compliment that I smell nice', thereby aritifical scents enahnce girl's attraction, thereby invalidating my claim. Analogically, you can wear a christmas jumper with a reindeer and get compliments that you look nice wearing it. But her telling you you look nice in it, doesn't mean that you have increased her sexual attraction towards you. Her verbal approval of you smelling nice or wearing a nice jumper with embroidered reindeer is just that - a verbal expression. You can interpret it as her signalling to you something more (e.g., she is sexually attracted) but it will be all in your head to treat it as a causal factor. Artificial scents to be applied to the body are a very recent invention in comparison to million years of evolution selecting for human pheromones as signalling desirable mating opportunities.

I took the liberty of bringing all the typos in this paragraph to your attention.

This is mental masturbation.
Clothes aren't "natural" nor is their use by humans much older than the use of scented oils.
Nevertheless, who will be more attractive to women? Lets set aside the variable of fitness, and say it's a fat guy; a fat guy dressed like an average slob, or a fat guy dressed like Patrice O'Neal?
Are you opposed to guys dressing well? Because that makes exactly as much sense from your pseudo-scientific evolutionary standpoint as saying to not wear cologne.

(08-21-2015 10:22 AM)ksbms Wrote:  

Whereas I did not provide empirical evidence that artificial scents do mask pheromones, the contrary needs to be empirically proven as well.

It's a non-sequitur, since you still seem to believe that pheromones work via literally being smelled, which is not the case.
That's like saying it hasn't been empirically proven that eating a cheeseburger won't mask the effects of shooting up heroin.

(08-21-2015 10:22 AM)ksbms Wrote:  

In my view, the jury is still out.

Good for you.

If you have a distaste for cologne or scented products, that's your prerogative dude, different strokes and all. Seems weird to try and justify it with science.

[eradicator]

So if a girl says you smell like ass and doesn't want to bang because you stink, you are doing it right?

[Catch 22]

To be honest, I haven't read to the responses, but i think I agree with OP. Every time a girl says "you smell nice," I haven't had anything helping my scent and it's just a sign that she's super into you. Has nothing to do with actual scent.

[Comte De St. Germain]

(08-21-2015 10:22 AM)ksbms Wrote:  

Whereas I did not provide empirical evidence that artificial scents do mask pheromones, the contrary needs to be empirically proven as well. Enigma correcty pointed out that the burden of proof is on the person who makes the claim but by not having provided an empirical evidence for that proof (I'll try to find it but if I fail, I'll be first to acknowledge it), it doesn't mean that that the contrary is necessarily true.

In my view, the jury is still out.

My problem is this right here. How can you prove that artificial scents mask pheromones? On the other hand all the proof I need to know artificial scents work is the extensive usage of such product throughout human history.

Why did humans through evolutionary tactics much like animals decide that artificial scents do work? Well the simple fact of the matter is that those whom reproduced en masse have made it the norm. Basic law of survival of the fittest. It became widespread because it worked and no one wanted to smell like sweat and ass. Human history is all the proof you need.