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Questions for Discussion: Sweaty T-shirts and Human Mate Choice

  • In condensing coverage of this experiment for presentation in the film, producers neglected to mention several necessary "controls" -- elimination of certain potentially confusing variables -- in the "T-shirt smell test." Discuss some potential factors not mentioned in the video clip which could possibly affect the results of the experiment.
  • The results of this experiment suggest that women prefer the odor of men whose MHC molecules differ from their own. Discuss why and how this kind of preference could offer a selective advantage.
  • The males and females involved in this experiment were all of reproductive age. Discuss ways that you might test to see if individuals of non-reproductive age might react the same way.