Journal
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL CHILD PSYCHOLOGY
Volume 85, Issue 3, Pages 279-295Publisher
ACADEMIC PRESS INC ELSEVIER SCIENCE
DOI: 10.1016/S0022-0965(03)00061-4
Keywords
olfaction; kin recognition; inbreeding; incest; pheromones; olfactory preferences; phenotypic matching; odor preferences; sexual aversion; Westermarck effect
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Three studies explored kin recognition through olfaction. In Study I, adults (N = 22) were tested for ability to identify the odors of themselves; their mother; their father; a sister; a brother; a familiar, unrelated individual; and a stranger. Acquaintances were identified as accurately as biological kin, implicating an association mechanism. However, biological kin were often confused, implicating phenotypic matching. Same-sex kin were confused more than opposite-sex kin, but mainly when same-sex kin had odors of similar intensity. Study II implicated phenotypic matching. Mothers (N = 18) could identify their biological children but not their stepchildren. The preadolescent children (N = 37) identified their full siblings but not half-siblings or stepsiblings. Thus, olfactory cues may help mediate favoritism of blood relatives. In Study III, mutual olfactory aversion occurred only in the father-daughter and brother-sister nuclear family relationships. Recognition occurred between opposite-sex siblings but not same-sex siblings. Thus, olfaction may help mediate the development of incest avoidance during childhood (the Westermarck effect). (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
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