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. 2025 Apr 3;13(1):338.
doi: 10.1186/s40359-025-02660-w.

Effects of menstrual cycle phases on approach-avoidance behaviors in women: a behavioral and event-related potentials study

Danyang Li  1   2 , Chang Xu  2 , Xiaochun Wang  3
Affiliations

Effects of menstrual cycle phases on approach-avoidance behaviors in women: a behavioral and event-related potentials study

Danyang Li et al. BMC Psychol. .

Abstract

Menstrual cycle influences approach-avoidance behavior in females as a result of fluctuations in sex hormone levels, but the underlying neuropsychological processes are unknown. Therefore, we collected the approach-avoidance behavior and electroencephalogram (EEG) data of 27 naturally cycling women during early follicular, late follicular, and mid-luteal phases, focusing on the effects of estradiol and progesterone levels on women's approach-avoidance behavior. Results found that women in the late follicular phase approached positive stimuli more quickly, and N2 amplitudes were the smallest for impulsive benefit-approach reaction. Women in the mid-luteal phase avoided negative stimuli more quickly, and P1/N2 amplitudes were the smallest for impulsive harm-avoidance reaction. Correlation results showed that estradiol levels positively predicted benefit-approach behavior, and progesterone levels positively predicted harm-avoidance behavior. Behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) results suggest that women in different menstrual cycles have different sensitivities to approach-avoidance behaviors of different emotional stimuli, characterized by less consumption of cognitive resources in the early stages of emotional motivation processing, which is in part mediated by estradiol and progesterone. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the relationship between ovarian hormones and approach-avoidance behavior in women.

Keywords: Approach-avoidance behavior; ERP; Estradiol; Menstrual cycle; Progesterone.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shanghai University of Sport [102772022RT120], and it was conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the Declaration of Helsinki. All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations of Shanghai University of Sport. Participants were informed that their names and institution names would be kept confidential and their privacy rights were protected. Participants were included in the process on a voluntary basis and informed consent was obtained from all participants. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Schematic illustration of the task. (a) Trial structure. In the manikin task, participants move the self-face which consisted of a schematic drawing of a women on the screen towards (approaching) or away from (avoiding) the affective stimulus. (b) Task requirements of two blocks. Compatible condition (Block1): approaching positive and avoiding negative stimulus. Incompatible condition (Block2): avoiding positive and approaching negative stimulus. (c) Stimulus details. We used the self-face of each participant as a unique self-referential stimulus and the emotional picture as the affective stimulus
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Hormone levels. (a) Differences in the level of estradiol between the early follicular phase and late follicular phase. (b) Differences in the level of progesterone between the late follicular phase and mid-luteal phase. Error bars represent the standard error of the mean. *** P < 0.001
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Differences in reaction time across menstrual cycle phases. (a) Reaction time of the improved “manikin task” across the early follicular phase and late follicular phase. (b) Reaction time of the improved “manikin task” across the late follicular phase and mid-luteal phase. Error bars represent 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of the mean. *** P < 0.001; ** P < 0.01
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Correlation analysis between estradiol / progesterone level and reaction time of approach-avoidance behavior. Correlation scatter plots between the level of estradiol and reaction time of positive-approaching in early follicular phase (a) and late follicular phase (b). Correlation scatter plots between the level of progesterone and reaction time of negative-avoiding in late follicular phase (c) and mid-luteal phase (d)
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
The amplitude and topography of P2, N2 for avoiding/approaching positive stimuli across two cycle phases. (a) Grand average ERP waveforms, scalp topography maps, and average amplitudes of P2 for avoiding positive stimuli during the early follicular, and late follicular phases recorded across electrodes POz, PO3, PO4, Oz, O1, and O2. (b) Grand average ERP waveforms, scalp topography maps, and average amplitudes of N2 for approaching positive stimuli during the early follicular, and late follicular phases recorded across electrodes Fz, FC3, FCz, FC4, and Cz. Error bars represent 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of the mean. ** P < 0.01
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Grand average ERP waveforms of LPP for emotion type (a) and menstrual cycle phase (b) recorded at electrodes CP1, CP2, and CPZ
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
The amplitude and topography of P1, N2 for approaching/avoiding emotional stimuli across two cycle phases. (a) Grand average ERP waveforms, scalp topography maps, and average amplitudes of P1 for avoiding negative stimuli during the late follicular, and the mid-luteal phases recorded across electrodes PO7, PO8, Oz. (b) Grand average ERP waveforms, scalp topography maps, and average amplitudes of N2 for approaching positive stimuli during the late follicular, and the mid-luteal phases recorded across electrodes Fz, FC3, FCz, FC4, and Cz. Error bars represent 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of the mean. ** P < 0.01
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Grand average ERP waveforms of LPP for emotion type (a) and menstrual cycle phase (b) recorded at electrodes CP1, CP2, and CPZ
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