Sex differences in response to physical and social factors involved in human mate selection - The importance of smell for women

A survey study examining the relative importance of various social and physical traits in heterosexual attraction was conducted. Data from 198 male and female heterosexual college students revealed that women ranked body odor as more important for attraction than "looks" or any social factor except "pleasantness." Moreover, in contrast to response to fragrance use, liking someone's natural body odor was the most influential olfactory variable for sexual interest for both men and women. Men rated a woman's good looks as most desirable and as more important than any other factor except pleasantness. Sex differences in the relative ranking of several social factors were consistent with prior research. (C) 2.002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.