The influence of menstrual cycle and impulsivity on risk-taking behavior

Abstract

The present study aims at exploring how both menstrual cycle phase and impulsivity affect risk behavior. Sixty-eight normally cycling women, who were previously assigned to “fertile” and “non-fertile” condition depending on their menstrual cycle phase at time of participation, were asked to complete the Dickman Impulsivity Inventory (DII) and to play a computerized version of the IOWA Gambling Task (IGT). Results indicate a significant interaction between the menstrual cycle phase and the dysfunctional impulsivity level on the total amount of IGT gains, with low dysfunctional impulsivity women during their “fertile” phase winning the largest amount of money. Implications of the results are discussed within the evolutionary theoretical perspective.

Keywords

• Menstrual cycle
• Dysfunctional impulsivity
• Risk behavior
• IOWA Gambling Task