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Ch. 44 - Animal Sensory Systems
Freeman - Biological Science 8th Edition
Freeman8th EditionBiological ScienceISBN: 9780138276263Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 44, Problem 9

Scientists collected data on the date of onset of the menstrual cycles in a group of women who moved into a college dormitory together in the fall. The y-axis of the graph shows the mean difference (in days) between the onset of a woman's cycle and the average onset date of the rest of the women. Evaluate whether these data provide evidence for the existence of a human pheromone.

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Examine the graph provided, which shows the mean difference in onset of menstruation (in days) on the y-axis, and the months (October, January, April) on the x-axis.
Observe the trend in the graph: the mean difference in onset of menstruation decreases over time from October to April.
Consider the concept of menstrual synchrony, which suggests that women living together may experience synchronized menstrual cycles due to pheromones.
Evaluate the decrease in mean difference as potential evidence for menstrual synchrony, as the cycles appear to become more aligned over time.
Assess the error bars in the graph, which indicate variability in the data. Consider whether the overlap of error bars suggests significant or insignificant changes in cycle synchronization.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Human Pheromones

Pheromones are chemical signals released by an individual that can affect the behavior or physiology of others of the same species. In humans, the existence and effects of pheromones are debated, particularly regarding their role in synchronizing menstrual cycles among women. Understanding pheromones is crucial for evaluating whether the observed data supports their existence.
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Menstrual Cycle Synchrony

Menstrual cycle synchrony refers to the phenomenon where women living in close proximity may experience synchronized menstrual cycles. This concept is often linked to the potential influence of pheromones. Analyzing data on cycle onset can help determine if there is a statistically significant pattern that supports this idea.
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Statistical Analysis of Data

Statistical analysis involves using mathematical techniques to interpret data and draw conclusions. In this context, evaluating the mean differences in menstrual cycle onset and their significance over time is essential to determine if the observed patterns are statistically valid and indicative of pheromonal influence.
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Honeybees live in social groups consisting of a queen, up to several hundred male drones, and thousands of infertile female workers. The drones mate with the queen only, and the workers protect the hive, forage, and feed and groom the queen. The health of the hive depends on the female workers performing these duties instead of reproducing.

What roles do pheromones play in maintaining a functional beehive?

Scientists have identified dozens of pheromones used by honeybees for communication. Which type of sensory system uses pheromones?

a. Mechanoreception

b. Photoreception

c. Chemoreception

d. Thermoreception

e. Electroreception

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Honeybees live in social groups consisting of a queen, up to several hundred male drones, and thousands of infertile female workers. The drones mate with the queen only, and the workers protect the hive, forage, and feed and groom the queen. The health of the hive depends on the female workers performing these duties instead of reproducing.

What roles do pheromones play in maintaining a functional beehive?

Honeybees produce an alarm pheromone when their hive is molested. This pheromone stimulates the bees to protect the hive. If you were to count the number of alarm pheromone receptors in honeybee tissues, which type of bee would likely have the most—a queen, a drone, or a worker? Why?

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