Data from: Natural variation in female reproductive hormones does not affect contrast sensitivity

Evidence suggests that females experience adaptive shifts in facial preferences across the menstrual cycle. However, recent discussions and meta-analyses suggest that these findings are equivocal. A previously unexplored question is the extent to which shifts in female preferences are modulated by hormone-dependent changes occurring in low-level vision, such as visual sensitivity. This mechanistic approach has been a novel method for investigating the extent to which complex perceptual phenomena are driven by low-level versus higher-level perceptual processes. We investigated whether the contrast sensitivity function—an early dimension of vision—is also influenced by variation in female reproductive hormones. Visual contrast thresholds were measured for 1, 4 and 16 cycles/degree gratings during the ovulatory, luteal and menstrual phases of the menstrual cycle in naturally cycling women, and women using oral contraceptives. Male participants were tested at similar time intervals. Results showed that visual contrast sensitivity does not differ according to sex, or use of oral contraception, nor does it vary relative to hormonal shifts across the menstrual cycle. These findings suggest that shifts in female preferences are not driven by changes in visual sensitivity, and are therefore likely attributable to changes in higher-level perception or cognition.已有研究证据表明，女性的面部偏好会随月经周期发生适应性变化。但近期的相关研讨与元分析（meta-analysis）结果显示，此类研究结论尚存争议。此前尚未得到研究的一个核心问题是：女性偏好的变化在多大程度上受低级视觉系统的激素依赖性变化调控——例如视觉敏感性的相关改变。这类机制性研究范式，为探究复杂知觉现象究竟由低级还是高级知觉过程驱动提供了全新的研究路径。本研究针对视觉早期维度的对比敏感度函数（contrast sensitivity function）是否受女性生殖激素水平波动影响展开了探究。我们对自然月经周期女性与口服避孕药使用者，在其月经周期的排卵、黄体、月经三个阶段，分别测试了空间频率为1、4、16周期/度（cycles/degree）的光栅的视觉对比阈值。同时在相近的时间间隔内对男性参与者开展了同类测试。结果显示：视觉对比敏感度不存在性别差异，也不受口服避孕药使用的影响，且未随月经周期的激素变化出现显著波动。上述研究结果表明，女性面部偏好的变化并非由视觉敏感性的改变所介导，因此其更可能源于高级知觉或认知层面的变化。