Olfactory performance is predicted by individual sex-atypicality, but not sexual orientation

PLoS One. 2013 Nov 7;8(11):e80234. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0080234. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Many previous studies have reported robust sex differences in olfactory perception. However, both men and women can be expected to vary in the degree to which they exhibit olfactory performance considered typical of their own or the opposite sex. Sex-atypicality is often described in terms of childhood gender nonconformity, which, however, is not a perfect correlate of non-heterosexual orientation. Here we explored intrasexual variability in psychophysical olfactory performance in a sample of 156 individuals (83 non-heterosexual) and found the lowest odor identification scores in heterosexual men. However, when childhood gender nonconformity was entered in the model along with sexual orientation, better odor identification scores were exhibited by gender-nonconforming men, and greater olfactory sensitivity by gender-conforming women, irrespective of their sexual orientation. Thus, sex-atypicality, but not sexual orientation predicts olfactory performance, and we propose that this might not be limited to olfaction, but represent a more general phenomenon.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Female
  • Gender Identity*
  • Heterosexuality / physiology
  • Heterosexuality / psychology
  • Homosexuality, Female / psychology
  • Homosexuality, Male / psychology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Odorants / analysis*
  • Olfactory Perception / physiology*
  • Sex Characteristics
  • Sex Factors
  • Sexual Behavior / psychology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Grants and funding

LN was supported by the grant SVV-2013-267 702 of the Charles University and by The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports - Institutional Support for Longterm Development of Research Organizations - Charles University, Faculty of Humanities (Charles Univ, Fac Human 2013). JVV and JH were supported by the Charles University Research Center (UNCE 204004). JVV was further supported by the Grant Agency of the Czech Republic (GACR 13-16959P). The funding sources had no involvement in study design, in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data, in the writing of the report, or in the decision to submit the article for publication.