Experimental Setup
Session Ready
Neurobiological Mechanism: In the 2023 PLOS Biology study, odorless female tears activated human olfactory receptors (OR4E2, OR51A7) without conscious smell perception, suppressing functional connectivity between the anterior insula (AI) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), driving a ~44% drop in provoked monetary point subtraction.
Completed Trials
0
Saline Control
Retaliation Rate
0.0%
0 / 0 rounds
Tear Blunting Δ
-43.7%
Study Benchmark: 43.7%
Mean Insula BOLD
+1.82 z
Saline Baseline
| # | Condition | Provocation | Receptor Bound | AI / dACC Firing | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No trials recorded yet. Click 'Run Next PSAP Trial Round' to begin. | |||||
25-Participant Cohort Aggression Distribution (PSAP)
Across n=25 male participants in the double-blind within-subject design, emotional tears produced an aggregate 43.7% reduction in retaliatory point subtractions (p < 0.005).
Comparative Chemosignaling: Humans vs. Rodents
Rodent Chemosignals (MUPs / ESP1)
- Organ: Vomeronasal Organ (VNO)
- Perception: Pheromonal, innate reflex
- Target: Medial amygdala, VMH
- Effect: Suppresses inter-male territorial aggression
Human Emotional Tears (Agron 2023)
- Organ: Main Olfactory Epithelium (MOE)
- Perception: Fully odorless / sub-conscious
- Target: OR4E2 & OR51A7 → Anterior Insula
- Effect: Blunts subjective provocation by 43.7%