Comments on: I Get Letters… http://membracid.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/i-get-letters/ Entomology. Gardening. Ranting. Nerdery. Sun, 03 Jan 2010 22:45:31 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Psychology as magic: Beware! (pheromones) « Mr. Darrell’s Psychology http://membracid.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/i-get-letters/#comment-17868 Psychology as magic: Beware! (pheromones) « Mr. Darrell’s Psychology Mon, 31 Mar 2008 08:54:46 +0000 http://membracid.wordpress.com/?p=841#comment-17868 [...] from a company selling a chemical they claim is a human pheromone, and they asked her evaluation. Here is her account, with the response. The post shows how scientists think, and how they limit their conclusions to what they really know. [...] [...] from a company selling a chemical they claim is a human pheromone, and they asked her evaluation. Here is her account, with the response. The post shows how scientists think, and how they limit their conclusions to what they really know. [...]

]]> By: Bug Girl http://membracid.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/i-get-letters/#comment-17853 Bug Girl Sat, 29 Mar 2008 22:32:05 +0000 http://membracid.wordpress.com/?p=841#comment-17853 Per the comments policy, I moved a long off-topic comment about spraying pheromones in California to <a href="http://membracid.wordpress.com/2008/03/18/more-crazy-anti-pheromone-shit/" rel="nofollow">this post</a>, where it actually makes sense. Per the comments policy, I moved a long off-topic comment about spraying pheromones in California to this post, where it actually makes sense.

]]> By: Dave http://membracid.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/i-get-letters/#comment-17846 Dave Sat, 29 Mar 2008 15:51:51 +0000 http://membracid.wordpress.com/?p=841#comment-17846 Here's that story: http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/health/865986,CST-NWS-sniff28.article Here’s that story:

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/health/865986,CST-NWS-sniff28.article

]]> By: Dave http://membracid.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/i-get-letters/#comment-17844 Dave Sat, 29 Mar 2008 12:43:16 +0000 http://membracid.wordpress.com/?p=841#comment-17844 I saw a story in the paper yesterday how research shows the people may (literally) be able to "smell" trouble! If I find it I'll send it along... I saw a story in the paper yesterday how research shows the people may (literally) be able to “smell” trouble! If I find it I’ll send it along…

]]> By: Tim Eisele http://membracid.wordpress.com/2008/03/28/i-get-letters/#comment-17841 Tim Eisele Sat, 29 Mar 2008 10:43:56 +0000 http://membracid.wordpress.com/?p=841#comment-17841 While watching the first episode of "Torchwood", I was struck by a basic fallacy in the idea of a pheromone spray: even if it did work, it wouldn't be targeted very well. The way the guy was using it in the show seemed to me to be particularly ill-advised; he was spraying it on himself in a crowded bar, using an atomizer that was sure to get it all over the place, not just on him. If it worked as advertised, this strikes me not so much as a seduction tool, as a formula for an impromptu orgy involving everybody close enough to smell it. We should be thankful that these pheromones don't work as advertised. While watching the first episode of “Torchwood”, I was struck by a basic fallacy in the idea of a pheromone spray: even if it did work, it wouldn’t be targeted very well. The way the guy was using it in the show seemed to me to be particularly ill-advised; he was spraying it on himself in a crowded bar, using an atomizer that was sure to get it all over the place, not just on him. If it worked as advertised, this strikes me not so much as a seduction tool, as a formula for an impromptu orgy involving everybody close enough to smell it. We should be thankful that these pheromones don’t work as advertised.

]]>