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Menstrual symptoms: A social cognition analysis

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Abstract

Research on menstrual-related cyclicity often reflects assumptions concerning the generality, severity, and physiological basis of symptoms associated with the menstrual cycle. According to arguments presented in recent articles, these assumptions are not fully justified by the empirical data. In addition, there is evidence that symptom associations may be viewed as reflecting, in part, a set of beliefs. In the present article evidence is reviewed which suggests that symptom associations may originate and be maintained by means of biases in the processing of information about cyclicity. Specifically, the origins of biased beliefs may arise from the connotative meaning of, the salience of, and selectivity in processing the information forming the association. In addition, mechanisms which contribute to the maintenance of biased perceptions, once associations have been formed, include distortion, autonomy, and category accessibility of the evidence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Princeton University, 08540, Princeton, New Jersey

    Diane N. Ruble

  2. Educational Testing Service, 08541, Princeton, New Jersey

    Jeanne Brooks-Gunn

  3. College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, 10027, New York, New York

    Jeanne Brooks-Gunn

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  1. Diane N. Ruble
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  2. Jeanne Brooks-Gunn
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Preparation of the manuscript and some of the research were supported by Grants SOC-7602137 and SOC-76 02179 from the National Science Foundation.

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Ruble, D.N., Brooks-Gunn, J. Menstrual symptoms: A social cognition analysis. J Behav Med 2, 171–194 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00846665

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