Intellectual Performance as a Function of Repression and Menstrual Cycle

Performance on complex (Space Relations and Verbal Reasoning) and simple (Digit Symbol) tests was investigated as a function of Byrne\u27s Repression-Sensitization (RS) dimension, phase of menstrual cycle and premenstrual-menstrual (PM) symptomatology in a group of females not taking oral contraceptives. Two control groups, consisting of males and females taking oral contraceptives, were included. Equivalent tests were given at two sessions two weeks apart. Analysis of the Space Relations Test as a function of menstrual phase and Repression-Sensitization indicated the predicted interaction effect of phase by RS with poorest performance for the menstruating repressor group (p \u3c .02), but the predicted deterioration by the premenstrual repressor group was not observed. Similar analysis for the Verbal Reasoning Test yielded an interaction effect of phase by RS (p \u3c .03) and a main effect for phase (p \u3c .05). As predicted, differences on the Digit Symbol test did not reach significance. Substituting PM symptomatology for RS, a significant effect was obtained only for phase on Verbal Reasoning Test (p \u3c .05). Results were interpreted as indicating a reactive nature of repression, so that during menstruation, repression may interfere particularly with performance on complex tasks. The three subject groups did not differ significantly on any of the three tests; however, trends in the present data corroborated those quoted in the literature

Sex Differences in Absence from Work: A Reinterpretation

Sex differences in absence from work were investigated for parents and nonparents during a period of 11 months. Personnel records showed sex differences only among working parents, with mothers taking significantly more sick leave than fathers (p < .05). By using self-reports obtained under protection of anonymity it was found that in the parent group both sexes reported absences necessitated by child care as personal illness, but significantly more women than men were absent from work for such activities (p < .01). Results from this study shed light on the statement that “women are more likely than men to be absent from work because of illness” (U.S. Department of Labor Bureau Bulletin, 1977); child care, rather than personal illness, appears to be the major variable that mediates sex differences in absence from work.Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

A LONGITUDINAL STUDY OF CYCLICAL VARIATIONS IN MOODS AND BEHAVIORS AS A FUNCTION OF REPRESSION AND THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE.

Abstract not availabl

Stability of Perceived Tension as a Function of the Menstrual Cycle

The stability of tension judgments among males and females who were either taking or not taking combination low-progestin oral contraceptive pills was investigated. Judgments of interpersonal pressure in videotaped vignettes provided tension measures. The vignettes were presented in two sessions separated by two weeks. Correlations between pressure judgments of .94 for males, .79 for pill females and .40 for non-pill females (all sig \u3c .002) supported the prediction that non-pill females experience the largest fluctuations in tension across the menstrual cycle. A significant number of non-pill females who changed their scores and who changed from midcycle to premenstrual-menstrual phases or vice versa between the two experimental sessions shifted their tension scores in the predicted direction (p \u3c .04). As predicted, non-pill females scoring in the lower half on premenstrual-menstrual symptomatology were more consistent in pressure judgments than those high on symptomatology, with correlations of .51 (sig \u3c .004) and .24 (NS) respectively. Analysis of pressure judgments as a function of menstrual phase and high-low symptomatology indicated a main effect for symptomatology (sig \u3c .01) with the high group perceiving more pressure. Lack of a main effect for menstrual phase was attributed to large individual variations in tension scores. Results were interpreted as indicating physiological causality underlying the variability in tension across the menstrual cycle. Substituting the Repression-Sensitization dimension for symptomatology yielded no significant results which could lead to a psychological interpretation of such variability

Menstrual Cycle as Focus of Study and Self-Reports of Moods and Behaviors

Retrospective questionnaires show cyclical variations in moods and behaviors across the menstrual cycle. However, results obtained from daily mood questionnaires are inconsistent. In the present study, which ran for 11 weeks, self-report measures of menstrual symptomatology, using the 8-factor Moos (1968, 1969 a, c) Menstrual Distress Questionnaire (MDQ), were investigated. The MDQ was administered under conditions that made the menstrual cycle a salient (retrospective questionnaire) or not a salient (daily questionnaire) part of the study. The study included women who were taking and not taking oral contraceptives. A 2 × 3 analysis of variance (with the two groups of women and three menstrual cycle phases as independent variables) yielded broad cyclical variations only in the menstrual cycle salient condition. When the menstrual cycle was not a salient part of the study, only the pain factor reached significant cyclical variation (p\u3c. 01). A 2 × 3 analysis of variance (with the two types of questionnaires and three menstrual cycle phases as independent variables) indicated that for women not taking oral contraceptives the two questionnaires differed on pain (p\u3c .01), concentration (p\u3c .01), autonomic reaction (p\u3c .05), and water retention (p\u3c .01). Phase effects were significant on all factors, with largest cyclical variations in the menstrual cycle salient condition. A similar analysis for women taking oral contraceptives yielded fewer significance differences. These results suggest that questionnaires that make the menstrual cycle a salient part of the study may exaggerate possible cyclical variations in moods and behaviors

Female Sexual Arousal and the Menstrual Cycle

Self-reports of sexual arousal were significantly affected by conditions under which they were elicited. Such self-reports in women not taking oral contraceptives were congruent with a hormonal basis for such arousal only when the women were “unaware” that the study investigated sexual arousal as a function of the menstrual cycle. The “unaware” condition was operationalized by means of daily self-reports elicited from males and females for 11 weeks under the guise of a study of biological rhythms. A composite of one to three menstrual cycles for 26 women not taking oral contraceptives showed that sexual arousal during the luteal phase, when progesterone is relatively high, was significantly lower compared to peaks around ovulation. and premenstrual and late menstrual days (p \u3c .02). For the “aware” condition. women were asked to remember moods for the premenstrual, menstruating and luteal phases of the very last cycle on which they had just finished giving “unaware” daily self-reports. A 2 × 3 analysis of variance (with “aware” versus “unaware” conditions and premenstrual, menstruating. and luteal phases of the last cycle as the two independent variables) yielded a significant interaction effect with F = 6.5, df = 2, 50, p \u3c .003. In the “unaware” condition, sexual arousal was reported lowest during the luteal phase. The opposite pattern was reported in the “aware” condition. The results suggest that cyclical variability may not be simply due to women’s misattributions. However, “awareness” has an effect on self-report measures and may bias reports according to cultural stereotypes. Daily self-reports of sexual arousal for men were averaged over the duration of the study. This average was 3.16. The equivalent average for women not taking oral contraceptives was 2.35 and for women taking oral contraceptives was 2.62. Analysis of variance of these three means yielded a significant difference with F = 4.49. df = 2, 59, p \u3c .02