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Hormonal Contraceptives and Women's Mate-Value-Related Traits and Outcomes
Juliana E French1, Elizabeth Barron2, Emma E Altgelt2
1Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, USA. julianafrench@usf.edu.
Human Nature (Hawthorne, N.Y.)
|August 8, 2026
Summary
Women using hormonal contraceptives perceive mate value traits more positively than naturally cycling women. This finding is independent of sexual motives or behaviors, highlighting differences in mating psychology.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Human Sexuality
- Reproductive Endocrinology
Background:
- Mate value perceptions guide mating behaviors.
- Hormonal contraceptives (HCs) alter hormonal profiles linked to mate value traits.
- HCs may influence perceptions of fertility, sociality, and parenting ability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test if HC use is associated with altered perceptions of mate value.
- To investigate competing hypotheses of negative vs. positive perceptual shifts.
- To examine if these associations are independent of sexual behavior.
Main Methods:
- Three studies utilized samples of single and married women.
- Assessed self-perceived mating success and mate-value-relevant traits.
- A mini-meta-analysis synthesized effect sizes.
Main Results:
- Women using HCs consistently rated mate-value-relevant traits and outcomes more positively.
- The association was not explained by sexual motives or frequency.
- Findings were robust across different measures and samples.
Conclusions:
- HC use is associated with more positive self-perceptions of mate value.
- This effect is independent of sexual activity, suggesting hormonal influences on mate perception.
- Highlights psychological differences between HC users and naturally cycling women.
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