Link between women's chemical signals and male aggression

A new study has revealed an interesting connection between whiffing women's tears and male aggression. Male aggression can be influenced by many factors and tears of a woman are one of them.

In the research published in PLOS Biology, the Weizmann Institute of Science explored mammalian chemical signals. They called in participants for tear samples and found that women volunteered to do so easily. They also called in male participants who were divided into two groups.

The first group took a whiff of women's tears and the other took saline. They were asked to play video games after sniffing. Men who sniffed the tears showed a significant decrease in their male aggression levels.

The game allowed them to take revenge on a fictitious opponent. Such revenge-seeking behavior dropped by 43.7% when the male participants sniffed women's tears. This study points to the powerful non-verbal interactions that influence us every day.

Anger is a primary emotion but it can sometimes lead to difficulties in interpersonal relationships. (Image via Veceteezy/ Mladen Mitrinovic)

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What is the link between a woman's chemical signals and male aggression?

Our interpersonal cues have the power to break through strong emotions, such as anger. (Image via Pexels/ Pavel Danilyuk)

In previous studies, it has been demonstrated that rodent tears can act as cues for reproduction and aggression. However, this was yet to be explored between humans, with tears having a role to play in interpersonal interactions.

The researchers were interested in understanding the brain chemistry behind these cues and if they really do influence male aggression. They observed that there was a difference in the regions of the brain activated during the game and after they sniffed the tears.

It appeared that during the game, their emotional brain was highly charged and activated. But after sniffing the tears, the effect was reduced. This shows that tears also play a role in chemosignaling.

Chemical signals can communicate even our emotional states and remain consistent across cultures. You may have noticed that close-range interactions are more emotionally charged due to the constant signaling between our bodies.

You may be surprised, but our body odour, including our sweat, has a powerful influence on our interactions and can help you become less emotionally reactive.

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How can aggressive males benefit from emotional closeness?

Emotional closeness can signal safety to individuals, making them feel calmer. (Image via Pexels/ Alena Darmel)

Professor Noam Sobel, head of the Brain Sciences Department, calls our tears a chemical blanket that offers protection from passive-aggressive behavior and other related emotions. While it's not just men who get angry and aggressive, studies like this highlight the importance of subtle emotional connection.

Perhaps the results from the study could have been different if men had volunteered to provide their tears. For many reasons, some men would not find it appropriate to participate in providing their tears. On the other hand, it would be much easier for them to participate in 'aggressive games'.

Emotional closeness and chemical signals can directly influence another person's brain and tame their aggressive responses. There are many benefits to crying and they are not based on gender.

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Aggressive tendencies often stem from deep, underlying emotions that need to be addressed. Male aggression may also stem from similar reasons. Unfortunately, these can also influence their interpersonal relationships.

Being vulnerable is not a sign of weakness and showing your emotions is an interpersonal decision. This means that if you are experiencing male aggression, the decision and impact is not only yours. Rather, it is also shared with your significant others.

In a conversation, remember that your subtle body cues are constantly influencing your thoughts and emotions. While a woman's tears can't cure male aggression, it can definitely influence it.

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Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.

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