---
title: Does menstrual cycle phase affect how women perceive things? | Niyora
description: 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) d
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/menstrual-cycle-phase-and-mood-effects-on-perceptual-asymmetry-1997/
---

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- Does menstrual cycle phase affect how women perceive things?

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.

 Early or limited evidence

24 women studied at 3 phases of the menstrual cycle

## 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](https://doi.org/10.1006/brcg.1997.0936)

## Topics

[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Stigma, attitudes and culture](https://niyora.com/research/topics/life-area-stigma-culture/)

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