The Influence of Menstrual Cycle Phases on Women’s Status-Seeking via Prestige and Dominance: The Moderating Role of Organisational Culture

Abstract

Menstruation is a common experience that affects nearly half of the workforce in Western countries, yet its effects on workplace behavior are often overlooked in organizational research. One area where this may be especially relevant is status-seeking. Previous research suggests that women are more likely to pursue status through prestige (gaining respect by demonstrating competence and helpfulness) during the periovulatory phase (the five days prior to and including ovulation). In contrast, dominance (gaining status by exerting control and power) remains stable across the cycle. However, it is unclear whether these patterns hold or change in organizational cultures that differ in what they reward. This study examined how menstrual cycle phase and organizational culture interact to influence women’s status-seeking via prestige and dominance. A total of 176 participants completed an online survey. Based on self-reported cycle data, participants were classified as being in the periovulatory or another phase. They were randomly assigned to read about either a competitive or collaborative organizational culture, reflected on related experiences, and then reported their current statusseeking. As predicted, dominance did not vary by cycle phase. However, contrary to expectations, there was no change in prestige across the cycle. Additionally, organizational culture had no significant effect on either status-seeking strategy, nor did it interact with menstrual cycle phase. Explanations for null findings include phase misclassification, low engagement with the collaborative condition, and low dominance scores possibly driven by backlash against women who express dominance. Limitations and future directions are also discussed.