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Melissa Emery Thompson

Scholar In Residence in the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology
Evolutionary Anthropology

Current Appointments & Affiliations


Scholar In Residence in the Department of Evolutionary Anthropology · 2025 - Present Evolutionary Anthropology, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

Recent Publications


Progesterone and negative emotionality across and between ovulatory cycles: A study of romantically involved women

Journal Article Hormones and Behavior · January 1, 2026 In prior work, naturally cycling women's progesterone levels were found to be associated with their anxiety levels and concerns about levels of social support. The current study further examined these associations. Naturally cycling partnered women (N = 18 ... Full text Cite

Decreased sexual motivation during the human implantation window

Journal Article Evolution and Human Behavior · November 1, 2025 The implantation window denotes cycle days when the endometrium is receptive to an implanting blastocyst. Research supports increased risk of some types of sexually transmitted infections at this time due to local immunosuppression that facilitates the imp ... Full text Cite

Chimpanzee mothers, but not fathers, influence offspring vocal-visual communicative behavior.

Journal Article PLoS biology · August 2025 Face-to-face communication in humans typically consists of a combination of vocal utterances and body language. Similarly, our closest living relatives, chimpanzees, produce multiple vocal signals alongside a wide array of manual gestures, body postures an ... Full text Cite
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Education, Training & Certifications


Harvard University · 2005 Ph.D.