Browsing by Author "Soares, Sandra C."
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- Do masculine men smell better? An association between skin color masculinity and female preferences for body odorPublication . Carrito, Mariana L.; Santos, Isabel M.; Alho, Laura; Ferreira, Jacqueline; Soares, Sandra C.; Bem-Haja, Pedro; Silva, Carlos Fernandes; Perrett, DavidA recent study claimed face skin color as a sexually dimorphic variable that influences attractiveness preferences in mate choice. Thereby, skin color may assume the role of a mate quality signal influencing attractiveness preferences. As body odor is linked to attractiveness, this study aimed to explore whether the odors of men with more masculine facial skin color would be evaluated more positively than odors from less masculine men. Female raters were presented with body odors of 18 men and were asked to rate them in various characteristics. Multilevel modeling revealed that the odors of the donors with more masculine color were rated not only as more attractive, more pleasant, and sexier, but also healthier. This indicates that odor associated with men with more masculine skin color is attractive, just as other sexually dimorphic traits. Furthermore, we found a negative relation between skin color masculinity and perceived odor maleness. Regarding this last finding, a new discussion is introduced with respect to the influence of cognitive stereotypes in odor judgments. Altogether, the study supports the possibility that chemosensory signals may be communicating signs of mate quality associated with masculinity.
- Ethnic influences on the perceptual properties of human chemosignalsPublication . Parma, Valentina; Redolfi, Nelly; Alho, Laura; Rocha, Marta; Ferreira, Jacqueline; Silva, Carlos Fernandes da; Soares, Sandra C.Individuals of African and Caucasian descent show different chemical signatures in their body odors (BO). Does such biological difference have a perceptual correlate? We tested BO donors and raters of Afro-Portuguese (AP) and Caucasian (C) descent to investigate whether olfactory ratings reveal an ethnic bias and whether olfactory ethnic discrimination is possible. C (vs. AP) women rated the C BO as more pleasant, even when controlling for intensity. The C BO labelled as AP was rated as more intense by C raters. Although discriminability of ethnicity and sex is at chance, a nominal advantage for AP vs. C BO emerges.
- Revisiting “The Malicious Serpent”: Phylogenetically threatening stimulus marked in the human brainPublication . Biondi, Luiz; Gomes, Nuno; Maior, Rafael S.; Soares, Sandra C.Twenty years ago, Öhman and Mineka's publication “The Malicious Serpent” emphasized the selective pressure ancestral reptiles would have on early mammals’ visual system, specifically the development of a set of subcortical structures that would provide snake-like images privileged access to the amygdala. This process would occur automatically and allows for quick defensive reactions. Based on criticisms directed to the snake detection research, we created five questions that guided the discussion in this review. Evidence suggests the existence of a set of subcortical structures that promote prompt detection of snakes and sustained attention, but difficulties arise due to the complex interconnectivity of cortical and subcortical structures and multiple threat responses. Gaps in the research are identified as potential for future investigation.
- The feasibility of an augment reality system to study the psychophysiological correlates of fear-related responsesPublication . Brás, Susana; Soares, Sandra C.; Cruz, Telmo; Magalhães, Tiago; Marques, Bernardo; Dantas, Cláudia; Fernandes Crespo, Nuno; Fernandes, José MariaPrevious studies have successfully used augmented reality (AR) as an aid to exposure-based treatments for anxiety disorders. However, to the best of our knowledge, none of these studies have measured the physiological correlates of the fear response, relying solely on self-reports and behavioral avoidance tests.
- The scent of the other women: Body odor-induced behavioral and physiological effects on face categorizationPublication . Mutic, Smiljana; Freiherr, Jessica; Cavazzana, Annachiara; Rocha, Marta; Soares, Sandra C.; Parma, ValentinaIn body odor research, the interaction of female donors and receivers is scarcely investigated. With the aim to investigate effects of female body odor in a competitive context, we tested 51 women divided into two groups (i.e., a competitive and a non-competitive group, based on verbal instructions). Between groups, we explored whether female body odor exposure (vs. masker odor) modulates emotion categorization (via RT variance and distribution) and physiological reactions (via instantaneous heart rate) in a task with dynamic male and female faces as either angry or happy. Women in the competitive group reported to feel more competitive and performed more accurately. They gathered more emotional information to categorize dynamic faces and when additionally exposed to female body odor, they showed a resistance to cardiac deceleration. Lapses of attention (via RT distribution) occurred irrespective of body odor exposure. Our results support the idea that female body odors, presented in a competitive context, contrast cardiac deceleration and, by tendency, modulate emotion categorization. Data are discussed in the context of chemosignaling and social interactions among women.