LONDON:
Women
bosses become "ruthless" and far more competitive at the
peak of their fertility during a month, and hence were less
likely to give attractive women a
pay
rise, says a study by US experts.
This attitude dates back to the hunter-gatherer days when a
woman had to look after herself and withhold as much as
possible from rivals in order to attract men, the Daily Mail
reported.
Women bosses at their fertility peak could offer up to 25
percent less pay to their female counterparts, according to
psychologists at
Wellesley
College in the US.
Psychology professor Margery Lucas said women need to consider
their timing as well as how attractive their bosses are before
negotiating any deal.
During the study, women had to offer a certain salary to an
on-screen virtual partner, and keep
the
rest for herself.
At the end of the test, they rated the partner's
attractiveness on a 10-point scale, the daily said.
Scientists said the results showed that on average women in
the
fertile
stage of the month offered 25 percent less to the most
attractive women compared to the least attractive women.
Women at the low-fertility stage were far more generous,
offering 20 percent more to the prettiest women than they did
to the least good looking.
The researchers said it suggests that women at the
low-fertility stage are less threatened by beautiful female
co-workers.
"Among women, competitiveness during periods of high fertility
is linked to the withholding of resources from potential
rivals. Resource competition is important because women need
to acquire products - clothing, makeup, accessories, and so on
- to enhance their attractiveness," the lead expert said.
"By offering less to attractive women and keeping more for
themselves, fertile women can help to enhance their own
appearance and weaken a competitor's ability to do the same,"
she said.
"Women today should be aware that in, for example, salary
negotiations, menstrual cycle phase, along with the
attractiveness and sex of the negotiation partner, could
interact in complex and potentially costly ways," she was
quoted as saying.
