Recognition of kin through characteristic body odors

Abstract

The role of body odors (olfactory signatures) in human kin recognition was investigated in a series of experiments. In two-choice odor discrimination tests, fathers, grandmothers and aunts reliably identified the odors of garments previously worn by their neonatal relatives. Adult kin accurately discriminated between the odors of their sibling, from whom they had been separated for a period of 1 – 30 months, and a stranger of the same sex and age. Individuals apparently become rapidly familiarized with the odors of their relatives through direct exposure and may also detect a resemblance in the olfactory signatures of their close kin. Although body odors can be influenced by environmental variables (e.g. diet), unique olfactory signatures are quite likely genetically mediated.