Brescia Psychology Undergraduate Honours Theses

Date of Award

Winter 4-14-2023

Program

Psychology

Supervisor

Anne Barnfield

Abstract

This study investigated the role of the menstrual cycle phases (Follicular, Luteal and Menstruation) on working memory components (verbal and visuospatial). Eighty-eight undergraduate students attending Brescia University college completed a survey regarding: demographics, menstrual cycle information and working memory cognitive tasks. The cognitive tasks were the Corsi Block Tapping Test and a shorter version of the Hooper Visual Organization test for visuospatial working memory; and the Forward Digit Span Test and the Semantic Verbal Fluency Subset: Animals from the Barcelona Test for verbal working memory. Participants were categorized into the different menstrual phases they were experiencing. No significant differences were found between the menstrual phases and working memory. This indicates that menstrual phases may not have an impact on cognitive processes such as working memory, however, more research is needed, and more factors should be taken into consideration.

Keywords: Menstrual Cycle, Working Memory, Luteal, Follicular, Menstruation, Memory, Birth Control, Cognition.

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