A Brief Introduction to "human Pheromones"

The study of pheromones in non-human animals has a long pedigree. In contrast, the existence of human pheromones is controversial, although at its base this controversy may be largely semantic. Here we summarise the converging evidence from phylogeny, physiology, and behaviour that suggests that the human axilla may have some kind of communicative function, and that axillary secretions can influence social interactions. We recommend that future work should be channelled by the growing scientific understanding that chemical influences on human behaviour may be dependent upon context and environment.