REHOVOT, Israel: A recent study has found that the smell of women’s tears can calm down men and reduce their aggression.
Scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science discovered a special chemical in tears that sends a calming message to men’s brains, making them less likely to act aggressively.
To test their idea, researchers had 31 men play a frustrating computer game. Before playing, they smelled either a saline solution or a woman’s tears (disguised as droplets on tampons under their noses).
The results were surprising – the men who smelled the tears had a large decrease (43.7%) in aggressive behavior, especially in how they reacted to unfair situations in the game.
Brain scans also confirmed these changes, showing that areas of the brain associated with aggression were less active in the men who felt the tears.
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Professor Noam Sobel, the lead researcher, said whatever was in the tears appeared to reduce aggression. Sobel’s previous research also found that female tears can reduce male hormones and sex drive.
Sobel thinks these tear-related signals may have evolved to protect babies who can’t communicate when they feel threatened.
While the use of tears to affect emotion in adults may have some limitations, Sobel suggests that this biological tool may have been developed to ensure the safety of helpless infants.
This study adds a new layer to our understanding of human emotions.
It suggests that crying, often seen as a sign of weakness, can actually be a powerful tool for calming conflict and protecting people in vulnerable times.
Scientists even hope to discover similar comforting signals in the tears of men and children in the future.
