Women can ‘smell fear’ and become more risk-averse as they sense anxiety, study finds

WOMEN have the ability to smell fear in other people and as a result become less trusting, a study as suggested.

Researchers collected sweat samples during a public speaking task and from people who were sweaty but relaxed from playing sport. They gave the samples to men and women to sniff while they played games set by psychologists.

Women were more risk-averse when they smelled the fear sweat than the exercise sweat, an effect not seen in the men.

The findings may be explained by the way women evolved to “tend and befriend”, said the researchers, from Heinrich-heine University in Düsseldorf, Germany.

“Our female ancestors tended to create and maintain social networks with other women. During threatening situations they would tend to their children and bond with others for protection and comfort.

“As females are considered to select tending and befriending behaviour in potentially dangerous situations, they might be more sensitive to subtle signals of individual anxiety expressions than males,” said the researchers.

The team carried out five experiments using different games. The Trust Game measured participants’ level of trust and required them to decide how much money to invest with a fictional co-player while inhaling sweat samples.

Women transferred less when they smelt anxiety sweat than when they smelled the sport sweat, indicating they had less trust. The Risk Game evaluated participants’ risk aversion. It was conducted in the same way as the Trust Game but with a computer. Women did not risk as much when they smelled anxiety sweat. The study is published in the journal Biological Psychology.