Sex Differences in Olfactory Behavior in Namibian and Czech Children

Abstract

Sex differences in olfaction are well established, but explanations for those sex differences remain incomplete. One contributing factor could be individual-or cultural-level differences in exposure to odors. We tested whether frequent engagement with common sources of domestic odors (cooking, domestic animals, siblings) was linked to individual differences in olfactory reactivity and awareness among children in southern Namibia, and also compared study populations in southern Namibia and the Czech Republic using the established COBEL (Children's Olfactory Behaviour in Everyday Life) questionnaire. We did not find any effects of engagement with odor sources on olfactory behavior, but our results were consistent with usual olfactory sex differences in that girls scored higher than boys in measures of olfactory reactivity and awareness. Further, among the Czech children (but not among the Namibian children), odor identification abilities were positively linked to COBEL scores.Our data contribute to the literature that finds that sex differences in olfactory awareness are apparent across a diverse range of cultures and age groups.

Gender differences in influences of temperament on olfactory reactivity and awareness

“…Children’s olfactory reactivity and awareness did not vary with respect to their age or verbal fluency, which were correlated, as could be expected 41 . In previous studies, children’s olfactory reactivity and awareness were found to increase with age 4 , 5 , 7 , which was ascribable to the children’s progressively better memory and verbal fluency. The absence of such links in the present study could be attributed to the low variability in age.…”

“…Children’s olfactory reactivity and awareness showed a gender difference in favour of girls, which is in line with the study by Saxton, et al . 4 . However, one of the key issues when interviewing children is that they can interpret the researcher’s questions as a search for the “right answer” and thus may say what they believe he or she wants to hear.…”

“…Each item was coded on a 3-point scale, rating the child as poorly (0), moderately (0.5), or highly (1) olfaction-oriented in the given situation. Although it was used in a previous study with slightly older Czech children 4 , a pilot study (N = 30) described in detail elsewhere 6 revealed that most children were unfamiliar with the rating format of Item 3 (“Senses in nature”), which involved ranking the following activities in order of preference: touching, smelling, watching, listening. Therefore, the item was excluded from the interview.…”

“…The latter lend insight into people’s interactions with their everyday olfactory environments, which are not directly observable or reproducible in the laboratory. Termed “odour awareness” 2 , 3 or “olfactory reactivity and awareness” 4 , 5 , this metacognitive aspect of olfactory perception encompasses the degree to which individuals pick up olfactory stimuli in their vicinity, let them affect their attitudes and behaviours, seek pleasant olfactory stimulation and avoid unpleasant, potentially disturbing or offensive odours. Differences in olfactory reactivity and awareness are apparent from a young age 4 , 6 , 7 .…”

“…To be specific, since neuroticism and negative affectivity (which maps broadly onto neuroticism) appear to heighten olfactory reactivity and awareness in adults, we hypothesized that children deemed to exhibit a high degree of negative affectivity would show greater olfactory reactivity and awareness. Furthermore, since children’s olfactory reactivity and awareness have been shown to differ in boys and girls 4 , as a subsidiary aim, we tested for gender differences.…”