Lundstrom and Olsson (1995) 

Uses: Pheromone

Aim: To investigate the effect of androstadienone on the mood of women in the presence of men.

Method: true experiment, 2 by 2 experimental design (two independent variables with two levels each)

Procedure:

• 37 heterosexual women, mean age 25 years, with a normal menstrual cycle.

• Female participants' mood was studied in a 2 by 2 experimental design. They were exposed to either androstadienone or a control solution and in the precense of either a male or female experimenter.

• The experimenter carried out a number of measurements including several questionnaires. One of the questionnaires measured participants' mood.

• Experimenter was either female (28 years old) or male (30 years old)

Results:

• Androstadienone increased women's mood in the presence of a male experimenter but not a female experimenter.

Conclusion:

• Androstadienone may serve the function of signaling sexual attractiveness, which supports its role as a pheromone.

Evaluation:

• True experiment

• 2 by 2 design

• Only female generalised

• Questionnaire, maybe inaccurate

• Ecological validity

• Beyond gender identification, mood and arousal

Lundström, J. N., & Olsson, M. J. (2005). Subthreshold amounts of social odorant affect mood, but not behavior, in heterosexual women when tested by a male, but not a female, experimenter. Biological psychology, 70(3), 197–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2005.01.008