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Women in Contemporary Society

Women in Contemporary Society. Theresa Branconier , Lauren Cullen, &Natalia Gonzalez Psych 310- Dr. Mills. Changes in Women's Choice of Dress Across the Ovulatory Cycle: Naturalistic and Laboratory Task-Based Evidence By Kristina M. Durante, Norman P. Li and Martie G. Haselton.

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Women in Contemporary Society

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  1. Women in Contemporary Society Theresa Branconier, Lauren Cullen, &Natalia Gonzalez Psych 310- Dr. Mills

  2. Changes in Women's Choice of Dress Across the Ovulatory Cycle: Naturalistic and Laboratory Task-Based EvidenceBy Kristina M. Durante, Norman P. Li and Martie G. Haselton

  3. Women’s Choice of Dress across the Ovulatory Cycle • Women prefer clothing that is more revealing and sexy when fertility is highest within the ovulatory cycle • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  4. Why do Women’s Preferences for Clothing Change across the cycle? • Women simply feel more attractive near ovulation • OR • Women dress up more near ovulation as a result of an increase in intrasexual competitiveness, to enhance their ability to compete with other women. • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  5. Ovulation & Women’s Social Motivation • It was once believed that human ovulation is completely concealed, possibly even from women themselves. • Under the evolutionary theory, women are believed to shift their social motives & behaviors in adaptive way. • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  6. Previous Research Showing Shifts in Social Motives & Behaviors • Experience greater sexual desire & more frequent sexual fantasies during the fertile window of the cycle • Increased perception of attractiveness & feelings of sexiness • Greater motivations to attend social gatherings • Greater distances traveled by foot • Fewer calories consumed • Increase in desire for immediate rewards • Derogate the competition when reproductive stakes are higher • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  7. Cues of Ovulation • People can detect ovulatory shifts in women’s social behaviors directed towards others. • Men have evolved to detect by-products of cycling hormones, including changes in body scent. • Women may be altering their appearance across the cycle so that they appear more physically attractive when fertility is highest. • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  8. Method: Participants • 88 undergraduate females at the University of Texas, Austin • Between 17 & 30 years of age with a mean age of 19.10 years • All normally ovulating • Compensated with course credit or $30 • Tested for fertility and all were considered to be fertile at the time of high-fertility testing • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  9. Method: Procedure • Telephone prescreening was done to determine if participants fit within the following criteria: • No current or recent use of hormonal contraceptives • No irregular cycle length • No recent birth of a child and/or currently breastfeeding • No dramatic weight change • No use of antidepressants • No regular cigarette smoking • 2 experimental sessions: High-Fertility & Low-Fertility • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  10. Method: Procedure (cont.) • Luteinizing hormone (LH) testing done to determine High & Low fertility groups • Full-body photo taken • Biographical Measures taken • Questionnaires completed • Romantic Relationship Survey • Questions regarding sexual histories, current romantic relationships, & relationship histories • Sociosexual Orientation Inventory (Simpson &Gangestad, 1991) • Measures an individual's willingness to have sex without commitment • Desirability Scale • Assesses participant self-perceived attractiveness • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  11. Method: Procedure (cont.) • Outfit Illustration Task • Design an outfit for your friend’s party tonight, at which a lot of single and attractive people will be • Use colored pencils to draw the outfit onto a paper doll indicating where the shirt, pants, shorts, skirt, etc. will begin and end • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  12. Results: Fertility & Clothing Choice • Women closest to ovulation in their high-fertility session showed a greater increase in the amount of skin revealed at high fertility compared to low fertility • Women who completed high-fertility testing on other days showed little difference in total skin revealed from high-fertility to low-fertility testing • Revealingness rating of the clothing illustration differed significantly between high and low fertility, and it was strongly moderated by proximity to ovulation • Women sketched outfits that were rated higher in revealingness at high fertility compared to low fertility • Stronger difference for women closer to ovulation • Illustrations were rated sexier at high fertility than at low fertility • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  13. Results: Sexual Experience & Clothing Choice • The effect of more skin being revealed during high fertility for women closest to ovulation in their high-fertility session was true only for sexually experienced women • Sexually inexperienced women closest to ovulation showed no change in the amount of skin revealed across sessions • Sexual experience did not moderate the effect of fertility on the revealing or the sexy ratings of the outfit illustration • As for the ratings of clothing worn to the lab, women who had not experience sexual intercourse received higher ratings at low fertility than at high fertility. The opposite was true for women who had experience sexual intercourse • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  14. Results: Relationship Status & Clothing Choice • Women closest to ovulation in their high-fertility session who were not in committed relationships revealed a great amount of skin on the illustration during high fertility than during low fertility • Women closest to ovulation in their high-fertility session who were currently involved in romantic relationships showed no change in skin revealed across sessions • As for the clothing worn to the lab, women who were in a relationship showed more skin and wore sexier outfits at low fertility than at high fertility, whereas the opposite was seen for single women • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  15. Results: Attractiveness & Clothing Choice • Women with lower self-perceived attractiveness wore outfits that were more revealing and sexy near ovulation compared to during low fertility • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  16. Results: SOI & Clothing Choice • Sexually unrestricted women displayed more skin and wore outfits that were rated as sexier and more revealing at high fertility than at low fertility in comparison to sexually restricted women • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  17. Results: Relationship Satisfaction & Clothing Choice • Women reporting high levels of satisfaction with their romantic partners revealed more skin in their illustrations and received higher revealing ratings at high fertility • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  18. Discussion • Hypothesis was supported – Women prefer more revealing clothing during the onset of ovulation, particularly in mating-relevant settings. • Sexually experienced women showed the desire to wear more revealing clothes during high fertility and less of this desire during low fertility. However, sexually inexperienced women showed no significant difference here. • Women who were taking low doses of testosterone wore more attractive clothing than the control group women. • Single women in high fertility were more likely to prefer revealing clothing than women who had steady partners. • The more satisfied partnered women were with their relationships, the more likely they were to prefer revealing clothing during high fertility. • For women of lower perception of self-attractiveness, there was a more significant shift from unrevealing to revealing clothing during ovulation. • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  19. Possible Explanations for Shift in Clothing Preference • Hormone-mediated changes in motivation • Women may pay more attention to their attire to attract extra pair mates • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  20. Limitations and Future Directions • Possible that premenstrual symptoms cause women to “dress down” rather than ovulation causing women to “dress up” • Small effect size • Further research is needed to examine the evolved function of motivations underlying cycle shifts in clothing choice. • Durante, K. M., Li, N. P., &Haselton, M. G. (2008). Changes in women's choice of dress across the ovulatory cycle: Naturalistic and laboratory task-based evidence. Personality And Social Psychology Bulletin, 34(11), 1451-1460. doi:10.1177/0146167208323103

  21. Discussion Questions • What other variables should be introduced for future research on this topic? • What are the advantages and disadvantages of women dressing in more revealing clothing during ovulation? • What are possible conflicts that may arise from women wearing more revealing clothing during ovulation?

  22. Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbvsItEzyRQ

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