The importance of human odour in non-verbal communication

Approximately one-third of the human subjects could identify their own odour and that of their partner among 10 subjects. Nearly 50% consistently identified their own odour, or that of their partner, incorrectly. One-third of the subjects were capable of distinguishing between male and femal odour. Asked to attach the attributes 'pleasant', 'indifferent' or 'unpleasant' to several odour, the subjects judged femal odours more often pleasant and less often unpleasant than male odours. Women judged their own odours more often pleasant and less than unpleasant, men on the contrary their own odours more often unpleasant and less often pleasant. Both sexes judged the odour of their partner more often pleasant than unpleasant.