Throne et al conducted a study to explore the impact of pheromones on female perceptions of

male attractiveness. Using a repeated measures design, 32 female undergraduate students (half
of whom were contraceptive pill users) were exposed to axillary secretions odor (experimental
condition) and no odor (control group)
The participants experienced both conditions on separate occasions, based on their menstrual
cycle phase. The axillary secretions, believed to contain the pheromones androstane (AND),
were collected from pads worn in the armpits overnight. These pads, assumed to contain male
pheromones, were concealed in laboratory cubicles during the experimental condition. The
control group did not have exposure to axillary secretions. During their visits to the lab,
participants read fictional vignettes and completed a questionnaire that required them to rate
the attractiveness of the vignettes and associated pictures. The results indicated that the
menstrual cycle and contraceptive use had no effect on attractiveness ratings. However, there
was a statistically significant positive correlation between exposure to male axillary secretions
and attractiveness ratings. In other words, the experimental group consistently rated the
questionnaire items related to sexual attraction higher than the control group.
The study found that neither the menstrual cycle nor contraceptive use had an impact on
attractiveness ratings. However, there was a statistically significant positive correlation
between exposure to male axillary secretions and ratings of attractiveness, indicating that the
experimental group consistently rated items related to sexual attraction higher compared to
the control group. This suggests that pheromones can influence human behavior, specifically in
the context of sexual attraction.