We all know that some days we feel ready to seize the day, live our best carpe diem life and get things done… and other days we lack that “can do” spirit.
This concept is called self-efficacy, and it refers to a person’s belief that they are capable of performing a task successfully. Your self-efficacy can influence the goals you set for yourself, your effort and persistence in learning new things, and your performance at work, school, and home life. So yeah, self-efficacy is a big deal.
Not surprising to anyone, it turns out our hormones play a large role in our confidence in our ability to complete a task. A recent study from 2022 looking into if the menstrual cycle affects important psychological outcomes such as regulatory focus, impulsiveness and self-efficacy and whether or not hormonal contraceptive users experience the same changes as naturally cycling individuals.
Researchers saw a small but persistent elevation in self-efficacy during Phase Three for non-hormonal contraceptive users but not among people using hormonal contraceptives. In addition, naturally cycling people were also more likely to act on impulse when experiencing strong positive feelings/excitement during this phase and even take more risks than other times of their cycle. Although these other changes weren’t so different from people using contraceptives.
The authors of this paper suggest that naturally cycling people may be more likely to display an adaptive tenacity in the face of challenges during Phase Three, and hormonal contraceptive users may not experience this benefit. Despite not necessarily getting that natural boost in self efficacy in Phase Three, you don’t exactly take a massive hit to self efficacy either. Stay the course!
Science, Feminism and Love.
Blake, K. R., McCartney, M., & Arslan, R. C. (2022). Menstrual cycle and hormonal contraception effects on self-efficacy, assertiveness, regulatory focus, optimism, impulsiveness, and risk-taking. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 103, 104382.
