Here's that story CNN doesn't want you to see about how ladies vote with their periods
byKaili Joy GrayFollow WED OCT 24, 2012 AT 06:39 PM PDT
On Wednesday, CNN published a craptastically craptastic "article" about a "study" that "shows" women's voting is ruled by their menstrual cycles. No, really:
While the campaigns eagerly pursue female voters, there’s something that may raise the chances for both presidential candidates that’s totally out of their control: women’s ovulation cycles.
It got worse from there. A lot worse. Like this:
Here’s how Durante explains this: When women are ovulating, they “feel sexier,” and therefore lean more toward liberal attitudes on abortion and marriage equality. Married women have the same hormones firing, but tend to take the opposite viewpoint on these issues, she says.
But if you go to the link at CNN, here's what you get now:
Comments* [new] Further FAILS (plural) (5+ / 0-)
Oops! Sorry. We shouldn't have run this pseudo-science story, so we'll just delete and pretend we didn't. Now stop making fun of us, Internets!
Too bad CNN couldn't delete the whole Internet. Because it's still out there.
So, below the fold, is the full article CNN doesn't want you to see. Sorry, CNN.Did Mr Mourdock or Mr Akin have anything to do with this article, becuz it sounds like both of them. Really scarey, no really. What nut of a staff writer was allowed to post this rubbish
(CNN) — While the campaigns eagerly pursue female voters, there’s something that may raise the chances for both presidential candidates that’s totally out of their control: women’s ovulation cycles.
You read that right. New research suggest that hormones may influence female voting choices differently, depending on whether a woman is single or in a committed relationship.
Please continue reading with caution. Although the study will be published in the peer-reviewed journal Psychological Science, several political scientists who read the study have expressed skepticism about its conclusions.
A bit of background: Women are more likely to vote than men, other studies have found. Current data suggest married women favor Gov. Mitt Romney, in a 19% difference, over President Barack Obama, while Obama commands the votes of single women by a 33% margin, according to the study. And previous studies have shown that political and religious attitudes may be influenced by reproductive goals.
In the new study’s first experiment, Kristina Durante of the University of Texas, San Antonio and colleagues conducted an internet survey of 275 women who were not taking hormonal contraception and had regular menstrual cycles. About 55% were in committed relationships, including marriage.
They found that women at their most fertile times of the month were less likely to be religious if they were single, and more likely to be religious if they were in committed relationships.
Now for the even more controversial part: 502 women, also with regular periods and not taking hormonal contraception, were surveyed on voting preferences and a variety of political issues.
The researchers found that during the fertile time of the month, when levels of the hormone estrogen are high, single women appeared more likely to vote for Obama and committed women appeared more likely to vote for Romney, by a margin of at least 20%, Durante said. This seems to be the driver behind the researchers’ overall observation that single women were inclined toward Obama and committed women leaned toward Romney.
Here’s how Durante explains this: When women are ovulating, they “feel sexier,” and therefore lean more toward liberal attitudes on abortion and marriage equality. Married women have the same hormones firing, but tend to take the opposite viewpoint on these issues, she says.
“I think they’re overcompensating for the increase of the hormones motivating them to have sex with other men,” she said. It’s a way of convincing themselves that they’re not the type to give in to such sexual urges, she said.
Durante’s previous research found that women’s ovulation cycles also influence their shopping habits, buying sexier clothes during their most fertile phase.
“We still have the ovulatory hormones that have the same impact on female brains as across other species,” she said. We want sex and we want it with the best mate we can get. “But there are some high costs that come with it,” she said, particularly for women who are already in committed relationships.
This isn’t the first time hormones have been looked at in connection to voting. Last year Israeli researchers published a study in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology examined the stress hormone cortisol in voters in Israel. Levels of this hormone were higher in people right before they were about to vote than in the same people when they were not voting.
Durante’s study on women noted that liberal attitudes favor social equality and tend to be less associated with organized religion. Conservatism is more about traditional values and is linked to greater participation in organized religion.
The most controversial part of the study is not only that hormonal cycles are linked to women’s preferences for candidates and voting behaviors, but also that single women who are ovulating are more likely to be socially liberal, and relationship-committed women are more likely to be socially conservative, said Paul Kellstedt, associate professor of political science at Texas A&M University.
One of the major caveats this paper fails to address is that men also have biochemical changes, Kellstedt said.
“The reader may be left with the impression that women are unstable and moody in ways that extend to their political preferences, but that men are comparative Rocks of Gibraltar,” Kellstedt said in an e-mail.
Kellstedt does not study biology, but he has been involved in research suggesting that men’s political preferences are even more volatile than women’s.
“There is absolutely no reason to expect that women’s hormones affect how they vote any more than there is a reason to suggest that variations in testosterone levels are responsible for variations in the debate performances of Obama and Romney,” said Susan Carroll, professor of political science and women’s and gender studies at Rutgers University, in an e-mail.
Carroll sees the research as following in the tradition of the “long and troubling history of using women’s hormones as an excuse to exclude them from politics and other societal opportunities.”
“It was long thought that a woman shouldn’t be president of the U.S. because, God forbid, an international crisis might happen during her period!” Carroll said.
A better explanation for the divide in voting preferences between single and married women is the difference in economic status, she said.
One expert gave it a little more credence: Israel Waismel-Manor, a political scientist at the University of Haifa in Israel, who did the cortisol study last year.
He’s not sure that this hormonal effect Durante found among women isn’t real, but offered an alternate explanation too: Research has shown women prefer more “manly men” when they are in their most fertile phases of the cycle. Obama and Romney are both handsome, in good physical shape and could fit the type of “provider of the family,” so either could fit the ideal, depending on a woman’s preference.
Assuming there is some hormonal explanation, the effects could cancel themselves out, since different women will be on different cycles when they vote, and the candidates have a similar level of physical attractiveness, Waismel-Manor said. A more elaborate research design is needed to examine it further.
“Even if the finding is correct, there’s a chance that it won’t have a cumulative effect on the electorate,” he said.
By Elizabeth Landau, CNN
Too bad CNN couldn't delete the whole Internet. Because it's still out there.
So, below the fold, is the full article CNN doesn't want you to see. Sorry, CNN.Did Mr Mourdock or Mr Akin have anything to do with this article, becuz it sounds like both of them. Really scarey, no really. What nut of a staff writer was allowed to post this rubbish
Study Links Women’s Voting Choices With Ovulation
Posted on: 8:20 pm, October 24, 2012, by Staff WriterYou read that right. New research suggest that hormones may influence female voting choices differently, depending on whether a woman is single or in a committed relationship.
Please continue reading with caution. Although the study will be published in the peer-reviewed journal Psychological Science, several political scientists who read the study have expressed skepticism about its conclusions.
A bit of background: Women are more likely to vote than men, other studies have found. Current data suggest married women favor Gov. Mitt Romney, in a 19% difference, over President Barack Obama, while Obama commands the votes of single women by a 33% margin, according to the study. And previous studies have shown that political and religious attitudes may be influenced by reproductive goals.
In the new study’s first experiment, Kristina Durante of the University of Texas, San Antonio and colleagues conducted an internet survey of 275 women who were not taking hormonal contraception and had regular menstrual cycles. About 55% were in committed relationships, including marriage.
They found that women at their most fertile times of the month were less likely to be religious if they were single, and more likely to be religious if they were in committed relationships.
Now for the even more controversial part: 502 women, also with regular periods and not taking hormonal contraception, were surveyed on voting preferences and a variety of political issues.
The researchers found that during the fertile time of the month, when levels of the hormone estrogen are high, single women appeared more likely to vote for Obama and committed women appeared more likely to vote for Romney, by a margin of at least 20%, Durante said. This seems to be the driver behind the researchers’ overall observation that single women were inclined toward Obama and committed women leaned toward Romney.
Here’s how Durante explains this: When women are ovulating, they “feel sexier,” and therefore lean more toward liberal attitudes on abortion and marriage equality. Married women have the same hormones firing, but tend to take the opposite viewpoint on these issues, she says.
“I think they’re overcompensating for the increase of the hormones motivating them to have sex with other men,” she said. It’s a way of convincing themselves that they’re not the type to give in to such sexual urges, she said.
Durante’s previous research found that women’s ovulation cycles also influence their shopping habits, buying sexier clothes during their most fertile phase.
“We still have the ovulatory hormones that have the same impact on female brains as across other species,” she said. We want sex and we want it with the best mate we can get. “But there are some high costs that come with it,” she said, particularly for women who are already in committed relationships.
This isn’t the first time hormones have been looked at in connection to voting. Last year Israeli researchers published a study in the journal European Neuropsychopharmacology examined the stress hormone cortisol in voters in Israel. Levels of this hormone were higher in people right before they were about to vote than in the same people when they were not voting.
Durante’s study on women noted that liberal attitudes favor social equality and tend to be less associated with organized religion. Conservatism is more about traditional values and is linked to greater participation in organized religion.
The most controversial part of the study is not only that hormonal cycles are linked to women’s preferences for candidates and voting behaviors, but also that single women who are ovulating are more likely to be socially liberal, and relationship-committed women are more likely to be socially conservative, said Paul Kellstedt, associate professor of political science at Texas A&M University.
One of the major caveats this paper fails to address is that men also have biochemical changes, Kellstedt said.
“The reader may be left with the impression that women are unstable and moody in ways that extend to their political preferences, but that men are comparative Rocks of Gibraltar,” Kellstedt said in an e-mail.
Kellstedt does not study biology, but he has been involved in research suggesting that men’s political preferences are even more volatile than women’s.
“There is absolutely no reason to expect that women’s hormones affect how they vote any more than there is a reason to suggest that variations in testosterone levels are responsible for variations in the debate performances of Obama and Romney,” said Susan Carroll, professor of political science and women’s and gender studies at Rutgers University, in an e-mail.
Carroll sees the research as following in the tradition of the “long and troubling history of using women’s hormones as an excuse to exclude them from politics and other societal opportunities.”
“It was long thought that a woman shouldn’t be president of the U.S. because, God forbid, an international crisis might happen during her period!” Carroll said.
A better explanation for the divide in voting preferences between single and married women is the difference in economic status, she said.
One expert gave it a little more credence: Israel Waismel-Manor, a political scientist at the University of Haifa in Israel, who did the cortisol study last year.
He’s not sure that this hormonal effect Durante found among women isn’t real, but offered an alternate explanation too: Research has shown women prefer more “manly men” when they are in their most fertile phases of the cycle. Obama and Romney are both handsome, in good physical shape and could fit the type of “provider of the family,” so either could fit the ideal, depending on a woman’s preference.
Assuming there is some hormonal explanation, the effects could cancel themselves out, since different women will be on different cycles when they vote, and the candidates have a similar level of physical attractiveness, Waismel-Manor said. A more elaborate research design is needed to examine it further.
“Even if the finding is correct, there’s a chance that it won’t have a cumulative effect on the electorate,” he said.
By Elizabeth Landau, CNN
1. Even on Monday, watching the CNN ticker of "men's opinion/response" vs "women's opinion/response" to what each candidate was saying, the MEN'S reactions were spikes! up & down, all over the place. The WOMEN'S response was a steady curve, raising & lowering, but few sharp drops/spikes. I actually don't recall any spikes from the yellow (women's response) line, but I'll go with "few" just to be generous.
and 2. Ok, and what about women who ARE on hormonal birth control? That can't be a small/insignificant part of the population... derp! so stupid!!!
2.5 Correlation means causation, always, yeah! YEAH! er, no, not really. GAAAAH.
3. Unrelated, but scientists can sadly be this stupid for a long, long time, unless they really put on their Good Study Design hats. To wit, the "fight or flight" response was documented in a study that had ALL MALE subjects. Derp AGAIN GUYZ. Let's look again, and now we see a new model, one that adds "Tend & Befriend" to the range of responses.
Bad scientists! NO BISCUIT!by martini on Thu Oct 25, 2012 at 12:05:45 AM PDT
* [new] First they will segregate the voting (3+ / 0-)centers. Then they will quit counting the women's votes.
I am being honest. I believe the Rebpublican's are trying to take the vote away from women and non-land owners.
This better be good. Because it is not going away.by DerAmi on Wed Oct 24, 2012 at 10:39:25 PM PDT
* [new] Wtf (49+ / 0-)
What about menopausal women? Are we not allowed to vote?
We will throw off the syching.
If you have more than you need but don't have empathy you must be a republican.
by Cecile on Wed Oct 24, 2012 at 07:08:20 PM PDT* [new] right Menopausal women (4+ / 0-)
Would just get the rape without the gift of life after.And I thought it was supposed to be gift before sex..
It is very hard to follow the logic. Oh that's probably just cause I'm thinking with my ovaries again.
Here's what I want to know. If a gay rapist rapes a man and then leaves him a puppy does that make it ok?"We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; we know now that it is bad economics" - F.D.R.
by biscobosco on Wed Oct 24, 2012 at 09:15:01 PM PDT* [new] sorry not meant to be (2+ / 0-)
We will throw off the syching.
If you have more than you need but don't have empathy you must be a republican.
by Cecile on Wed Oct 24, 2012 at 07:08:20 PM PDT* [new] right Menopausal women (4+ / 0-)
Would just get the rape without the gift of life after.And I thought it was supposed to be gift before sex..
It is very hard to follow the logic. Oh that's probably just cause I'm thinking with my ovaries again.
Here's what I want to know. If a gay rapist rapes a man and then leaves him a puppy does that make it ok?"We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; we know now that it is bad economics" - F.D.R.
by biscobosco on Wed Oct 24, 2012 at 09:15:01 PM PDT* [new] sorry not meant to be (2+ / 0-)
a homophobic comment. perhaps should have said If a woman rapes a man with an object.
The point is WTF about this "gift of life" thing. Rapes ok if you leave a baby behind... Then God approves?
"We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; we know now that it is bad economics" - F.D.R.
by biscobosco on Thu Oct 25, 2012 at 08:04:03 AM PDT* [new] No, if it's an election month and she reaches (112+ / 0-)
for the D lever in the voting booth, her system has a way to just Shut That Whole Thing Down.
by CoExistNow on Wed Oct 24, 2012 at 06:50:28 PM PDT* [new] As a male (25+ / 0-)
I vote liberally in every erection.
...and who, disguised as rambler american, mild mannered commenter for a great Democratic web blog, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way.
by rambler american on Wed Oct 24, 2012 at 07:45:23 PM PDT* [new] Not to worry. (82+ / 0-)
We have binders full of Midol.Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
by NMDad on Wed Oct 24, 2012 at 06:44:21 PM PDT
*[new] !!!LOL!!! (5+ / 0-)
That should be a Top Comment too!Hell, the threads here are chock full o' top comments!
"The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed." ~ Steven Biko
by Marjmar on Wed Oct 24, 2012 at 08:45:17 PM PDT* [new] I Am A Dude, And I Find This (37+ / 0-)
so offensive on so many levels. Who are these people that say shit like this. I'd argue that maybe my hormones are a little more messed up then your hormones. That maybe my penis pulls me in this direction or that direction. I am just speechless .....
When opportunity calls pick up the phone and give it directions to your house.
by webranding on Wed Oct 24, 2012 at 06:52:20 PM PDT
The point is WTF about this "gift of life" thing. Rapes ok if you leave a baby behind... Then God approves?
"We have always known that heedless self-interest was bad morals; we know now that it is bad economics" - F.D.R.
by biscobosco on Thu Oct 25, 2012 at 08:04:03 AM PDT* [new] No, if it's an election month and she reaches (112+ / 0-)
for the D lever in the voting booth, her system has a way to just Shut That Whole Thing Down.
by CoExistNow on Wed Oct 24, 2012 at 06:50:28 PM PDT* [new] As a male (25+ / 0-)
I vote liberally in every erection.
...and who, disguised as rambler american, mild mannered commenter for a great Democratic web blog, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way.
by rambler american on Wed Oct 24, 2012 at 07:45:23 PM PDT* [new] Not to worry. (82+ / 0-)
We have binders full of Midol.Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
by NMDad on Wed Oct 24, 2012 at 06:44:21 PM PDT
*[new] !!!LOL!!! (5+ / 0-)
That should be a Top Comment too!Hell, the threads here are chock full o' top comments!
"The most potent weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed." ~ Steven Biko
by Marjmar on Wed Oct 24, 2012 at 08:45:17 PM PDT* [new] I Am A Dude, And I Find This (37+ / 0-)
so offensive on so many levels. Who are these people that say shit like this. I'd argue that maybe my hormones are a little more messed up then your hormones. That maybe my penis pulls me in this direction or that direction. I am just speechless .....
When opportunity calls pick up the phone and give it directions to your house.
by webranding on Wed Oct 24, 2012 at 06:52:20 PM PDT
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