Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Odor signatures and kin recognition.

R H Porter, J M Cernoch, R D Balogh

    Physiology & Behavior
    |March 1, 1985
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Human kin recognition relies on genetically influenced body odors. Mothers and children can be identified by scent, unlike spouses, suggesting genetic ties shape olfactory communication.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    Investigations of the nature of lambs' individual odour signatures.

    Behavioural processes·2014
    Same author

    The role of familiarity in the development of social preferences in spiny mice.

    Behavioural processes·2014
    Same author

    Discriminative responsiveness by lambs to visual images of conspecifics.

    Behavioural processes·2014
    Same author

    Influence of a conspecific image of own vs. different breed on fear reactions of ewes.

    Behavioural processes·2014
    Same author

    Characterization of RO4583298 as a novel potent, dual antagonist with in vivo activity at tachykinin NK₁ and NK₃ receptors.

    British journal of pharmacology·2010
    Same author

    Preliminary evidence of a sensitive period for olfactory learning by human newborns.

    Acta paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)·2007
    Same journal

    Domain-Specific Adaptations in Visual Working Memory: Differentiated Performance Profiles between Open- and Closed-Skill Athletes.

    Physiology & behavior·2026
    Same journal

    Post-weaning social isolation increases reward-seeking behavior in mice.

    Physiology & behavior·2026
    Same journal

    DHEA model of PCOS selectively alters reproductive but not metabolic or behavioral phenotypes in female Long-Evans rats.

    Physiology & behavior·2026
    Same journal

    Importance of Apparatus Scaling in Novel Object Recognition for Juvenile and Adult Rats.

    Physiology & behavior·2026
    Same journal

    Chronic activity-based anorexia alters food intake microstructure in a time-dependent manner in female rats.

    Physiology & behavior·2026
    Same journal

    Apelin receptor antagonist (ML221) facilitates memory reconsolidation in novel object recognition task.

    Physiology & behavior·2026
    See all related articles

    Area of Science:

    • Human behavior
    • Genetics
    • Olfactory perception

    Background:

    • Human kin recognition is crucial for social bonding and survival.
    • The role of olfactory cues in recognizing genetically related individuals is not fully understood.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the basis of olfactory signatures in human kin recognition.
    • To determine if genetically mediated body odors facilitate recognition among relatives.

    Main Methods:

    • Two experiments were conducted to test odor matching abilities.
    • Subjects unfamiliar with stimulus individuals attempted to match odors of mothers and offspring, and husbands and wives.

    Main Results:

    • Subjects correctly matched mother-offspring odors more often than by chance.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • Odor matching was not reliable for husband-wife pairs.
  • These findings suggest genetically influenced odors play a role in kin recognition.

    • Conclusions:

    • Characteristic individual odors are genetically mediated.
    • Similarity in familiar odors facilitates kin recognition among close relatives.
    • Olfactory signatures are important in human social interactions and family structures.