New research questions the role of fertility in women’s indirect aggression
A new psychological study reveals that women's competitive reactions toward romantic and social rivals are driven by their baseline personality traits. Hormone fluctuations during the menstrual cycle did not predict how women responded to hypothetical threats.
A new study published in Evolution and Human Behavior challenges the belief that women's competitive behavior, especially in mating and social scenarios, is influenced by their menstrual cycle and hormone levels. Researchers from Trinity Western University found that fertility levels do not determine whether women act competitively.
The team recruited 464 women without hormonal birth control and categorized them based on their estimated fertility phases. The study revealed that women were more likely to compete against highly attractive rivals than less attractive ones, regardless of their menstrual cycle phase. Personality traits, such as intrasexual competitiveness and dominant behavior, were the primary predictors of competitive behavior in both mating and social contexts.
The study concluded that hormone fluctuations during the menstrual cycle do not influence women's competitive actions towards rivals.
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