Elsevier

Physiology & Behavior

Volume 207, 1 August 2019, Pages 179-184
Physiology & Behavior

Review
The role of body odors and olfactory ability in the initiation, maintenance and breakdown of romantic relationships – A review

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2019.05.003Get rights and content

Highlights

  • An intact olfactory ability is vital for perception of and response to chemical signals from potential and current partners.

  • Congenital anosmia is associated poorer relationship outcomes, highlighting the importance an intact olfactory ability.

  • In relationship initiation, body odors may help humans select genetically and sexually compatible mates.

  • A partner's body odor may help maintain a relationship by providing comfort and increased preference due to familiarity.

  • Disliking a partner's body odor may signal a reduction in compatibility and facilitate the determination of relationship.

Abstract

The aim of this review is to present direct and indirect lines of converging evidence that highlight the many ways our body odors and sense of smell may influence the three broad stages of romantic relationships; initiation, maintenance and breakdown. This emerging area of study requires a multidisciplinary empirical approach. Here we survey research findings that taken together, suggest that body odor perception moderates mate choice, provides a source of comfort in existing relationships and may signal the breakdown of a relationship through disgust processes. In terms of olfactory ability, having a good sense of smell may facilitate identifying a healthy mate, enhance sexual experiences, relationship security and ensure empathic responsivity, predictors of relationship longevity. We therefore conclude that olfaction plays an important – yet understudied – role in romantic relationships.

Section snippets

General introduction

Human odors transport various cues about the people we interact with, whether we experience them unwillingly, thanks to a stranger's strong smell, or deliberately during sex with a loved one. In contrast to visual impressions where we appreciate specific features of a potential partner, such as big eyes or full lips, body odors are typically perceived as a whole entity. Nevertheless, human odors comprise different natural and artificial compounds. Natural compounds of human odors are for

Relationship initiation

Relationship initiation refers to the very early stage of a potential relationship when two people are exploring and assessing their attraction to each other. This stage of the relationship is characterized by an intense excitement to be in each other's company and feelings of passionate love [6]. The frequency of sex between couples is at its peak during the initiation phase [13] and contact with all other friends and family is forsaken to spend as much time with each other as possible [62].

Relationship maintenance

In dyadic partnerships, the maintenance stage of a romantic relationship is characterized by the consolidation of a physical and emotional connection with, and commitment to, one's partner [80]. While intensity of the emotions experienced during the initiation phase may fluctuate [12] and the frequency of sex decreases [13] it is important to note that a couple may feel close to their partner despite not regularly showing affection [4]. Couples who report high levels of relationship

Relationship breakdown

Relationship breakdowns are not uncommon as more than 85% of adults have been through a break-up of a romantic relationship [5]. Romantic relationships dissolve for various reasons with commonly cited causes for divorce including lack of commitment, infidelity, excessive conflict, domestic violence and poor health [84]. The reasons for relationship breakdown for non-marital couples are similar, including a lack of love, commitment and feelings of closeness [39]. In this section of the review,

General conclusion and implications

This review examined direct and indirect evidence indicating human body odors and the sense of smell play a role in the three broad stages in romantic relationships; initiation, maintenance and breakdown. We presented evidence suggesting body odors play an important role in relationship initiation because they faciliate the detection of fitness, genetic and familial relatedness and may also moderate sexual desire. Since women carry the biological higher risk of suboptimal partner choice, it is

Future research

Given that this is an emerging area of study, there are numerous avenues to investigate how body odors and olfactory ability may impact the various stages of romantic relationship. For example, because the vast majority of research has only utilised underarm sweat as the source of the body odor, exploring the impact other odors produced by the body (e.g., urine, faeces, flatulence, feet, breath etc.) and using more ecologically valid methodologies such as whole-body smelling [25] provide

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