| dc.description.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. | |
