Survey study, 1997
Does menstrual cycle phase affect how women perceive things?
Menstrual cycle phase overall did not affect perception or mood. However, mood and face perception were linked across the cycle. This small study (24 women) does not show whether mood affects perception, perception affects mood, or both relate to another factor.
What they did
24 women completed 4 visual perception tasks and answered a mood questionnaire at 3 different points in their menstrual cycle.
What they found
Menstrual cycle phase had no overall effect on perception or mood. There was a significant association between mood and how women perceived faces, but not for other perception tasks.
What it means for you
If the menstrual cycle affects how we perceive faces, mood may be the connection rather than the cycle phase itself affecting perception. The study was small (24 women) and the reason for the link between mood and face perception is unclear.
24
women studied
3
menstrual cycle phases tested
4
visual perception tasks
About the study
- Original title
- Menstrual cycle phase and mood effects on perceptual asymmetry
- Authors
- Compton RJ, Levine SC
- Journal
- Brain and cognition
- Year
- 1997
- Study design
- Survey study
- Participants
- 24
- What was tested
- No intervention; observational study of cycle phase, mood, and perception
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1006/brcg.1997.0936
Topics
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