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‘The Dirty T-shirt Study’

‘The Dirty T-shirt Study’. Charmaine and Maurits. Background. Pheromones draw pairs of same species together Mice pheromones attract male and female with different MHC ‘ M ajor H istocompatibility C omplex ’ Plays important role in immune system and autoimmunity

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‘The Dirty T-shirt Study’

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  1. ‘The Dirty T-shirt Study’ Charmaine and Maurits

  2. Background • Pheromones draw pairs of same species together • Mice pheromones attract male and female with different MHC • ‘Major Histocompatibility Complex’ • Plays important role in immune system and autoimmunity • Beneficial: produce offspring with strong immune system

  3. Experiment • Swiss zoologist Claus Wedekind set up first experiment • Recruited volunteers: 49 college women, 44 college men • Wide range of MHC genes • Conducted at Bern University, Switzerland

  4. Method • Asked men to wear a clean t-shirt for 2 days straight • Odourless soap and aftershave • Asked to remain odour neutral • Sweaty t-shirt returned after two days • Put into smell box with holes, one clean t-shirt as control • Women asked to sniff boxes, rated them

  5. Findings • Women were more attracted to men with different MHC • Because women want to have varying MHC’s so that their offspring will have a wide range of MHC characteristics.

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