A Preliminary Note on the Motive to Avoid Success and the Menstrual Cycle

Summary

Women in the premenstrual phase of their menstrual cycle were more likely to evidence the motive to avoid success on a projective assessment than women in the intermenstrual phase. No clear pattern emerged for women who were menstruating at the time of assessment. Alternative explanations focusing on a woman's attitude towards menses and/or emotional fluctuations as a reflection of hormonal changes are discussed.