Estrogen and Cooperation, Competitiveness, and Risk Preferences

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study observes the effects of female cycle hormones on cooperation, competitiveness and risk preferences under experimental conditions. Especially, the causal effect of estradiol is isolated.

Detailed Description
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Behavioural theories assume that, as a result of natural selection, women undergo a brief, unconscious change in some psychological aspects during ovulation. This short-term change, ovulatory shift, is assumed to aim to increase the probability of successful reproduction in the decisive days of the female cycle. Amongst others, it is assumed that women behave particularly uncooperatively and particularly competitively towards other women during the fertile days. Though, empirical evidence is ambiguous. The effect on risk preferences is unclear. Theory generally assumes that female risk aversion increases in the fertile days. However, empirical studies find partly positive and partly negative correlations. Within the scope of this study, estradiol levels which are collected in the clinical treatment of patients in the Clinic for Gynaecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine are to be linked with the behavioural economic measures of cooperation, competitiveness, and risk preferences, which are collected using questionnaires or a computer-based decision task. The aim of the research project is to quasi-experimentally isolate the effect of estradiol on competitiveness, cooperation and risk preferences of women. No study known to us has ever been able to realize a comparable quasi-experimental design which is necessary to isolate the causal effect of estradiol on different behavioural measures. In the experimental group, a sample of approx. 50 women in fertility treatment (In Vitro Fertilization/Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (IVF/ICSI), long Gonadotropin releasing Hormone (GnRH) agonist protocol) is surveyed. This allows us to create a quasi-experimental design in which the estradiol level is exogenously manipulated and regularly measured. A random sample of 30 male students of Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University serves as a control group. We realize a longitudinal section design with measurement repetitions, which allows inter- and intrapersonal comparisons. A three-stage procedure with two measuring points and a preliminary clarification meeting is planned. The following measuring instruments are used to record competitiveness, cooperation and risk preference: SOEP Risk Attitude, Social Value Orientation German A, The cooperative and competitive Personality Scale German, Risk aversion, Willingness to compete.

Official Title
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The Effect of Estrogen Levels on Cooperative and Competitive Decision Making and Risk Preferences

Conditions
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Behavioral Correlates of Estradiol

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Patients female patient in fertility treatment according to Long GnRH Agonist Protocol 18 years and older written declaration of consent persons who are contractually capable and mentally able and willing to follow the instructions of the study staff understanding of the German language (written and spoken) Control group male 18 Years and older written declaration of consent persons who are contractually capable and mentally able and willing to follow the instructions of the study staff understanding of the German language (written and spoken) Exclusion Criteria: Patients Illiterate pregnant and breastfeeding women persons who are accommodated in an institution on official or court order persons in a dependent or employment relationship with the auditor simultaneous participation in another clinical trial Control group Illiterate persons who are accommodated in an institution on official or court order persons in a dependent or employment relationship with the auditor simultaneous participation in another clinical trial

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| female patients<br>women in fertility treatment according to Long GnRH Agonist Protocol | |
| control group<br>random sample of male students | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change of E2 [mg/l] | Change of blood concentration of estradiol (E2) in mg/l | Approx. 10 days after application of GnRH agonist and again approx. 14 days later | 
| Change of LH [mg/l] | Change of blood concentration of the luteinizing hormone (LH) in mg/l | Approx. 10 days after application of GnRH agonist and again approx. 14 days later | 
| Change of Prog [mg/l] | Change of blood concentration of progesterone (Prog) in mg/l | Approx. 10 days after application of GnRH agonist and again approx. 14 days later | 
| Change of Cooperation 1 | Change of willingness to cooperate measured via the Social Value Orientation German A (Murphy et al. 2011) | Approx. 10 days after application of GnRH agonist and again approx. 14 days later | 
| Change of Competitiveness 1 | Change of willingness to compete measured via the cooperative and competitive Personality Scale German (Lu et al. 2006) | Approx. 10 days after application of GnRH agonist and again approx. 14 days later | 
| Change of Risk Preference 1 | Change of Risk preferences measured via the SOEP Risk Attitude (DIW Berlin) | Approx. 10 days after application of GnRH agonist and again approx. 14 days later | 
| Change of Cooperation 2 | Change of willingness to cooperate measured via the cooperative and competitive Personality Scale German (Lu et al. 2006) | Approx. 10 days after application of GnRH agonist and again approx. 14 days later | 
| Change of Competitiveness 2 | Change of willingness to compete measured via the Willingness to compete measure based on Niederle & Vesterlund (2007) | Approx. 10 days after application of GnRH agonist and again approx. 14 days later | 
| Change of Risk Preference 2 | Change of Risk preferences measured via the Risk aversion measure by Holt & Laury (2002) | Approx. 10 days after application of GnRH agonist and again approx. 14 days later | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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cooperation, competitiveness, risk preferences, estradiol