Definition
Cycle variation is the different stages of the female ovulatory cycle, which occurs in fertile women.
Introduction
Human females have evolved ovulatory cycles that are different than the reproductive cycles of other mammals. The ovulatory cycle in human females lasts 28 days on average. During different stages of the ovulatory cycle, physiological and behavioral changes can be observed. In the ovulatory stage, when a woman is capable of reproduction, females have exhibited a change in mating behavior and mate preference. Men also perceive women differently depending on which stage of the cycle females are in.
The Evolved Ovulatory Cycle
The reproductive cycle varies across species, with humans being especially unique. Most female mammals have estrous cycles, commonly referred to as being in heat. During the estrus phase of the cycle, females who are not taking care of infants display mating...
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Smith, L., Wiegand, A. (2018). Cycle Variation. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_427-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_427-1
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