We’ve all heard about how we tend to mirror each other in an effort to create rapport. Our speech patterns are not exempted from this. When one person tends to use swear words, we can’t help but drop one or two of our own during the conversation as well. However, a new study published in the journal PLoS ONE reveals that there are certain circumstances when people--or men, in particular--make no effort to mirror another’s speech pattern.

In the study, researchers observed 123 male undergraduate students as they interacted with five female undergraduates at different points of their menstrual cycle. Both men and women were asked to describe a picture alternately. The women used a script so that researchers could study if the men would more or less follow the same pattern.

Results revealed that the closer to ovulation a woman was in her cycle, the less likely the men followed her sentence structure. Researchers believe that this might be attributed to the mating process and the men's efforts to stand out from the rest. In another experiment, it was also shown that only men appeared to be affected in this manner.

While it is not exactly a secret that women are different during ovulation, this study proves that it’s not merely limited to moodiness and crazy cravings.


You don't need to be at a certain point in your cycle to attract your man! Here are some tips to help you out:

• Guy Talk: Top 10 Things That Turn Guys On
• Guy Talk: 20 Flirting Moves that Work
• Heat It Up: 10 Ways to Flirt with Your Hubby
• Relationship Refreshers: 15 Ways to Keep the Love Alive

(Photo by Andrew Edwards Photography via Flickr Creative Commons)