February 10 - Transcript from the All Things Considered Story about Teros

Melissa Block: You're listening to All Things Considered. I'm Melissa Block.
Robert Siegel: And I'm Robert Seigel. It's been called the Relationship Paradox: When you're a single man or woman actively looking for that special someone, it can be next to impossible to get someone's attention, much less their interest. But once you're in a relationship, all of a sudden, attractive would be suitors can't leave you alone. They're interested in your stories, laughing at your jokes--and it's all without you putting forth any effort at all. It's a conundrum that has confounded people and frustrated singles for decades, but researchers at Stanford University may have discovered the chemistry behind chemistry. Steve Inskeep has this report.
Steve Inskeep (voiceover): Two identical twins walk into a bar. One of them is married, the other one single. Which one of them will women be more interested in? No, it's not the set-up for a bad joke, it's the scenario that Doctor Yusuf Ahmedov of Stanford University's Biomedical Research Center uses to explain the science of attraction.
Dr. Yusuf Ahmedov: In almost every case, women will be more attracted to, more drawn to, the married man.
SI: Even though everything else about the two men is exactly the same.
YA: Exactly the same, that's right.
SI (voiceover): If you're confused, then chances are you haven't been to a singles bar in a long time. But if you yourself are unattached and on the market, the story might be more familiar: You're in good shape, attractive, witty. You have a good job and people seem to like you, and yet--no luck with the opposite sex. Oh sure you might get some interest here or there, but overall it's an uphill climb. Now, jump ahead six months. You're in a relationship and things are going well. You're off the market and now all of a sudden--
YA: Women are all over you (laughs).
SI (voiceover): Well, maybe not all over you, but at least much more interested in you than before. The only thing is, now you're with somebody, you're happy, and you're not looking, begging the question: Where were these women when you were single and looking for them? According to Doctor Ahmedov, you shouldn't take it too personally. It's not you, it's them. Well, it's not exactly them either. It's both of you--or something like that. I'll let Dr. Ahmedov explain.
YA: It is chemistry, pure and simple. When you are in a relationship, your body recognizes this and it prepares itself on all levels--on the cellular level, the hormonal level, the psychological level, all levels--for procreation. Although members of the opposite sex may not be consciously aware of your romantic involvement, they do have hormonal receptors that recognize it when a potential mate is engaged. And they respond accordingly.
SI (voiceover): By engaged he doesn't mean to be married, although that is sometimes the case. No, what he means is biologically engaged--as in preparing for reproduction. Or in layman's terms--
YA: Ready to make babies (laughs).
SI (voiceover): When this happens our bodies go through many changes, a fact we've all been aware of since our middle school days when the boys had to go with the male gym teacher and the girls had to go with the female gym teacher and we all watched embarrassing movies about puberty. But what is new in this case is the discovery of how quickly these changes take place--well before you are even thinking about having children. According to Dr. Ahmedov, once you have more or less made a mental commitment to someone, your body begins manufacturing and emitting an unusual pheromone that Dr. Ahmedov and his Stanford colleagues have taken to calling the Teros pheromone not because it's terrifying--though to some it might be--but because it combines territoriality with eros--or love for those of you unfamiliar with Greek. The message this pheromone sends is, "I'm spoken for, romantically speaking."
YA: The peculiar thing about the Teros pheromone is its complexity. Its primary function is to serve as a signal to your mate that you are at least to some degree on a track toward reproduction. However, sometimes this message is intercepted by other potential partners. Now we'll talk about this in terms of women receiving the signal from men, although it also applies to men receiving it from women. First of all, before we get into the Teros effect, a man who is attached is more likely to be aloof and cool because they are not actively looking for a partner. This always makes them more of an intriguing challenge and thus awakens in women a kind of competitive instinct. However, on a deeper, more primal and pheromonal level, the women--again, on a level they are probably not aware of--perceive the man as someone who is effectively reaching out and sending signals. And even though those signals may not be meant for them, they can be very hard to resist.
SI (voiceover) Prompting the question, is there any way for singles to generate this pheromone? Dr. Ahmedov believes so, as do researchers at Pfizer who are developing a synthetic version of Teros they hope to have on the shelves by 2012. They see huge potential for a prescribed or even over-the-counter version of the attraction pheromone. Dr. Gail Roberts is the head of research and development for Pfizer.
Dr. Gail Roberts: Oh, it's a game changer, no doubt about it. This will give single people everywhere the chance to carry themselves with swagger and confidence, knowing that people are just going to be naturally attracted to them.
SI (voiceover): Which inevitably raises a thorny ethical issue: Is it fair? Is it manipulative and misleading? Is it, for lack of a better word, false advertising? Dr. Roberts says no.
GR: (laughing) Of course not. I would put Teros in the same category as a toupee or breast implants. Are these things completely accurate representations of who we are? Of course not. But I think people recognize that and they also recognize that none of these things in and of themselves is going to land you a partner. That's up to you. However, they will get someones's attention. After that, it's up to you.
SI: All's fair in love and war?
GR: (laughing) I don't know if I would go that far, but what we're ultimately talking about it something that will help bring people together. And how could that not be a good thing?
SI (voiceover): Singles of the world, you've been warned. For All Things Considered, I'm Steve Inskeep.
Outro music: Love Potion #9