Women's Brains ARE Different from Men's - Scientific Proof

[Don]

This article posits that physical differences in the brain explain why women are more emotional (see limbic cortex) and men are better drivers (see parietal cortex). To be fair, apparently women are better decision makers (frontal lobe) and better at remembering details. (amygdala). :D

All kidding aside, there's some interesting information in this article, and it seemed appropriate for HC for some reason. :)

Men and women show differences in behaviour because their brains are physically distinct organs, new research suggests. Male and female brains appear to be constructed from markedly different genetic blueprints.

They also point out that if these differences are significant, women have been shortchanged by researchers, who generally study male patients.

One of the reasons why physiological differences between male and female brains have not been widely noted before may be that most of what we know about the brain comes from studies of males, animals and human volunteers. "If even a small proportion of what has been inferred from these studies does not apply to females, it means a huge body of research has been built on shaky foundations," the review comments.

Professor Jeff Mogil from McGill University, in Montreal, Canada, who has demonstrated major differences in pain processing in males and females, puts it even more forcefully. He is astonished that so many researchers have failed to include female animals in their studies. "It's scandalous," he said. "Women are the most common pain sufferers, and yet our model for basic pain research is the male rat."

Here's a short list of some of the differences noted.


A guide to the male and female control panels
DECISION MAKING AND PROBLEM SOLVING:
Controlled by the frontal lobe, which is proportionally larger in women.
EMOTIONAL RESPONSE:
Controlled by the limbic cortex, which is also proportionally larger in women.
SPATIAL PERCEPTION:
Controlled by the parietal cortex , which regulates how we move around. Proportionally larger in men.
EMOTIONAL MEMORY:
Controlled by the amygdala, which is proportionally larger in men. When recalling an emotionally charged scene, men enlist its right side, women its left. Men remember the gist of the scene, and women the details.
SUPPRESSION OF PAIN:
Controlled by the periaqueductal grey, an area of grey matter in the mid-brain, known to have a role in the suppression of pain in men but perhaps not in women.


Full article here (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/womens-brains-uareu-different-from-mens-ndash-and-heres-scientific-proof-870849.html).

[Joe270]

apparently women are . . . better at remembering details.

I was gonna make a comment here involving marital arguments, but faggedaboudit.

Besides, all the women here would remember it for all time and never let me live it down.

[Cranky]

You know it, Joe. :D

Thanks for posting this, Don. A very interesting article, but I wanna sleep on it before I comment. I just had to poke at Joe. :D

[kuwisdelu]

I thought it was pretty well-known and accepted that men and women's brains function differently...

Not like either is better than the other. They're just different. It's pretty well-documented that lots of people have all different kinds of brain chemistry and it impacts their method of thinking.

An interesting example of this, as far as being enlightening in the male brain vs. the female brain, is something like autism, which is even referred to by some as an "extreme male-ness." As far as certain thought processes go. Certain thought patterns associated with men, like taking things very literal, systematic thinking over empathetic thinking, difficulty with emotions and tacit social cues, etc., are taken to an extreme in autism. Many researchers believe the differences between the male and female brain is part of the reason that girls (who would naturally tend away from these things) with high-functioning autism and Asperger's can cope much better and assimilate more easily to society's expectations. This could be a reason that many more males than females (about 4 to 1) are diagnosed with autism. In many girls, it may simply go unnoticed as anything but a peculiar period of boyish.

All this said, of course there are always massive variations among male and female brains, which can often overshadow the latent difference between the sexes. Which is why I suspect some woman will come in and say "my brain isn't any different than yours!" Well, yes it is. But that doesn't mean there are many other factors in thinking and thought process that don't make a big impact, too. Certainly, there are plenty of empathetic males, and many rigidly logical females. However, we do start from different bases, with much variation from there.

[Haggis]

EMOTIONAL MEMORY:
Controlled by the amygdala, which is proportionally larger in men. When recalling an emotionally charged scene, men enlist its right side, women its left. Men remember the gist of the scene, and women the details.I was gonna say, over and over and over again.

But I won't.

:D

[Joe270]

Thanks, Haggis, at least you have taken some of the impending smackdown from me. Enjoy your share.

I'm sure Robert Toy will be here soon, and he's bound to make a comment to land him right into the frying pan with us.

[Don]

Thanks, Haggis, at least you have taken some of the impending smackdown from me. Enjoy your share.

I'm sure Robert Toy will be here soon, and he's bound to make a comment to land him right into the frying pan with us.

I hope so, and probably rob too. I'm just glad all you guys didn't leave me hangin' out to dry on this one. :D

[Cranky]

I thought it was pretty well-known and accepted that men and women's brains function differently...

Not like either is better than the other. They're just different. It's pretty well-documented that lots of people have all different kinds of brain chemistry and it impacts their method of thinking.

An interesting example of this, as far as being enlightening in the male brain vs. the female brain, is something like autism, which is even referred to by some as an "extreme male-ness." As far as certain thought processes go. Certain thought patterns associated with men, like taking things very literal, systematic thinking over empathetic thinking, difficulty with emotions and tacit social cues, etc., are taken to an extreme in autism. Many researchers believe the differences between the male and female brain is part of the reason that girls (who would naturally tend away from these things) with high-functioning autism and Asperger's can cope much better and assimilate more easily to society's expectations. This could be a reason that many more males than females (about 4 to 1) are diagnosed with autism. In many girls, it may simply go unnoticed as anything but a peculiar period of boyish.

All this said, of course there are always massive variations among male and female brains, which can often overshadow the latent difference between the sexes. Which is why I suspect some woman will come in and say "my brain isn't any different than yours!" Well, yes it is. But that doesn't mean there are many other factors in thinking and thought process that don't make a big impact, too. Certainly, there are plenty of empathetic males, and many rigidly logical females. However, we do start from different bases, with much variation from there.

*pointedly ignores Don, Haggis, and Joe*

Funny, that's almost exacty what I was thinking, kuwisdelu. It also brought to mind the study that got Lawrence Summers (http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2005/01/17/summers_remarks_on_women_draw)in such hot water awhile back.

[LimeyDawg]

I was gonna say, over and over and over again.

But I won't.

:DI would say that it's not so much that they remember the details, it's their inability to forget them that is concerning. Of course, I wouldn't say that, either.

[kuwisdelu]

*pointedly ignores Don, Haggis, and Joe*

Funny, that's almost exacty what I was thinking, kuwisdelu. It also brought to mind the study that got Lawrence Summers (http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2005/01/17/summers_remarks_on_women_draw)in such hot water awhile back.

A room full of guys and I'm the one not being ignored? What twisted parallel universe is this?? :Shrug: :snoopy:

(By the way, I tried your link but the page seems to no longer be there.)

[Jo]

I've always thought/felt/said my husband was my other half. My strengths are his weaknesses (if you want to look at it that way), and vice versa--our views and reactions compliment one another. Our kids try to divide and conquer, but, eh, we're on to them. ;)

[Cranky]

Sorry! I accidentally truncated the url when I was copying it. Ooops. (http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2005/01/17/summers_remarks_on_women_draw_fire/)

*braces self against the onslaught of comments incoming from the peanut gallery*

[Cranky]

*crickets*

How awesome is that? :roll:

[kuwisdelu]

Sorry! I accidentally truncated the url when I was copying it. Ooops. (http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2005/01/17/summers_remarks_on_women_draw_fire/)

*braces self against the onslaught of comments incoming from the peanut gallery*

Interesting article. Not knowing more about Summers' character, I don't know whether the women who walked out were a bit too quick to be offended or not. In either case, as a statistic student, I have to reject his notion of looking for a main cause in this matter. I suspect brain differences, socialization, and discrimination are all factors of some significance contributing the number women in the sciences. The problem multicollinearity alone confounds any such attempt.

I certainly agree with Hopkins that women often perform at the same level as men when the effects of socialization are equaled out. But like Summers, I don't think that's the whole story.

As I see it, I suspect the difference in the brain between the sexes predisposes males toward success in such fields as math and science more so than females, but leaves the potential for success more or less equal. Given socialization, women tend to lean away from such fields, and men tend toward them. Take socialization away, and I suspect you will still have more men ending up in those fields, because it plays to some natural strengths, but the ratio of women to men would still be significantly higher than it is now.

I'm not sure his comparison to autism flies in this case, though. Certainly there are similarities, but it's much easier to focus on autistic children and extrapolate a cause for it, than it is to evaluate what career path a large sample size of women would tend toward given different combinations of largely uncontrollable and immeasurable variables.

Taking my statistics hat off and realizing its virtually impossible to come to a clear conclusion with such variables that are uncontrollable on a large scale and neither truly categorical or quantitative in real life, I'd say looking at individual cases is telling here. I've known girls raised to believe they'd never be good at math, told that girls can't do well as boys no matter what, and still grew up to be scientists. I've known girls expected to become scientists only to fall in love with the fine arts.

In any case, I don't think it's something with a simple cause. It's like cancer--there's no single cause, just a complex of factors. Remove one, it might not change anything. Remove the other, it might not change anything either. Remove the right combination, and suddenly we may have a barrage of Dana Scullys flooding the halls of Princeton.

Mmm...X-Files in two days!! :snoopy:

ETA: Speaking of Peanuts... ^^^

[MattW]

Once again, science is used to prove something that is common knowledge.

Did they say which part of the female brain comes up with questions that have no correct answer?

[Duncan J Macdonald]

Once again, science is used to prove something that is common knowledge.

Did they say which part of the female brain comes up with questions that have no correct answer?
Nah. That ability is instinctual -- no brains required.

[Robert Toy]

Thanks, Haggis, at least you have taken some of the impending smackdown from me. Enjoy your share.

I'm sure Robert Toy will be here soon, and he's bound to make a comment to land him right into the frying pan with us.
You called?

This watsah is smart enough to know who really controls things...dream on dear boys...;)

[Shadow_Ferret]

This evidence could be used to reinforce stereotypes, and this is worrying. Humans need to be interchangeable – women need to be able to do the traditional male jobs and the same applies to men. Long-term relationships that work are ones where people are similar. I do not believe "men are from Mars and women are from Venus". We are all from Earth.

So, in other words, to assure gender equity we must bury our heads in the sand when faced with physical, medical evidence.

[Medievalist]

Y'all go ahead. I'll just sit over and work on my list . . .

In all seriousness this is interesting, and it's especially interesting in terms of things like early fetal development--remember that the zygote, the fertilized egg, is immediately either xx or xy, (well, most of the time) and this suggests changes begin at birth and intensify at puberty.

Which makes me go off and google testosterone and studies of it's effects on fetal rats . . .

[Robert Toy]

So, in other words, to assure gender equity we must bury our heads in the sand when faced with physical, medical evidence.
Culture plays a partial role in this as well. Go to the Far East and it is typical to see women carrying bricks and mortar up ladders, or in Africa where the women damn near do all of the hard labor and the man just sits around.

There are women in the sciences and medical profession today vs. ye old days when women did not have the opportunities to even try.

[Shadow_Ferret]

Well, I never said women aren't capable. It seems the person I quoted believes that once this information gets out women will once again be relegated to be barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen.

All this study shows is that there are actual physical differences that cause the emotional differences everyone already knew existed.

What the study doesn't show is that suddenly women can't do the same work as men.

[kuwisdelu]

All this study shows is that there are actual physical differences that cause the emotional differences everyone already knew existed.

Not just difference emotionally, but in the way we process thoughts and think about things.

I remember hearing about a study a while back in which men and women were given a maze--one of those human-sized ones that they sometimes have at theme parks, kid's museums, etc. In the maze, they places certain items (or "landmarks") at important twists and turns inside the maze.

The men and women were sent through the maze (individually) to learn it and try to remember the path out. The subjects were supposed to remember the way through the maze as they found it, so they could follow the same path on a second run of the maze. The idea, however, was the change certain details of the maze the second time people were sent through, and see how they reacted.

In one group, the study rearranged the maze for the second run, with a new path to the exit, but all of the "landmarks" inside were also rearranged so the same ones that lined the path to the exit the first time still did. In this group, the women managed to find their way out of the second maze much more easily than the men.

In the other group, the study kept the maze exactly the same--the same path still led to the exit--but all of the "landmarks" inside were completely rearranged. In this group, the men found their way out much more easily than the women.

The finding was the the men seemed to plan their way through the maze by imagining its arrangement, drawing a map in their head (spatial-oriented thinking), while the women planned their way through the maze by remembering the landmarks that were on the proper path leading to the exit (detail-, problem solving-oriented thinking).

I'm sorry, I don't have the source for this yet, but I distinctly remember it from a few years ago. I'll see if I can find it anywhere.

[mscelina]

I don't see what all the fuss is about; women and men operate differently on almost every level. ;)

The fact that we're SMARTER than you guys shouldn't be a shock or anything.

:D

[kuwisdelu]

The fact that we're SMARTER than you guys shouldn't be a shock or anything.

Oh, you can be smarter in general. I'll concede you that. But then our sex gets all the geniuses. Mwahahahaha.

[Cranky]

Oh, you can be smarter in general. I'll concede you that. But then our sex gets all the geniuses. Mwahahahaha.

And, IIRC, there are more men at the lower end of the IQ scale, too. Y'all are clumped around those two points, with less in the middle.

Women, sensibly, avoid these extremes. :D

[kuwisdelu]

And, IIRC, there are more men at the lower end of the IQ scale, too. Y'all are clumped around those two points, with less in the middle.

Women, sensibly, avoid these extremes. :D

Not sure about national statistics or anything, but strangely enough, I noticed this all the way back in grade-school just within my class. When everyone else was having the "boys are smarter! girls are smarter" arguments, I drew them two neatly skewed bell curves to illustrate what I saw in our class, and everyone just looked at me like I was nuts...

[Shadow_Ferret]

The fact that we're SMARTER than you guys shouldn't be a shock or anything.

:D
That's only because we're more prone to ADHD and

oooh, shiney.

[Cranky]

Not sure about national statistics or anything, but strangely enough, I noticed this all the way back in grade-school just within my class. When everyone else was having the "boys are smarter! girls are smarter" arguments, I drew them two neatly skewed bell curves to illustrate what I saw in our class, and everyone just looked at me like I was nuts...


I can't find what I was looking for, but for now, chew on this (http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/sep/08iq.htm) bit.

My own personal belief is that men are probably simply better test takers. *shrug*

[Don]

I can't find what I was looking for, but for now, chew on this (http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/sep/08iq.htm) bit.

My own personal belief is that men are probably simply better test takers. *shrug*

I don't know who creates the tests, but it's possible that some gender bias crept into that process as well.

[Cranky]

I don't know who creates the tests, but it's possible that some gender bias crept into that process as well.

It's possible, sure. It's also culturally biased, and also skewed towards language proficiency, which can adversely affect people who are non-verbal. (Though they have tests that can sidestep that)

That said, in the article, they say that the results held true across ethnic and socioeconomic lines.

And it's still a tricky thing when trying to predict future success, as well.

[Shadow_Ferret]

IMy own personal belief is that men are probably simply better test takers. *shrug*
I don't find this funny if you meant it to be.

This isn't going to turn into another gender bashing thread, is it?

[Cranky]

It wasn't meant to be funny, nor male bashing. I just happen to personally believe that. Didn't seem to be a bad thing, either.

Most of the guys I took tests with in school and in "A" school seemed much less anxious about it, too.

[Shadow_Ferret]

Anxious about the tests? I was always anxious about the tests. Even if I knew the material backwards and forwards I was anxious about the test. And when I finished I'd have no clue if I did well or not. I'd have to sit in suspense until the results came.

So generalizing that all men are good test takers...

[Cranky]

Look, it wasn't meant to be a slap. That's the bottom line. I'll retract the statement, if you like.

[Shadow_Ferret]

Sorry. I get overly sensitive when I think things are moving into the gender bashing arena.

My fault. I'll back out.

[Cranky]

Naw, it's okay. We got it cleared up and that's all that matters. :)

[kuwisdelu]

I can't find what I was looking for, but for now, chew on this (http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/sep/08iq.htm) bit.

My own personal belief is that men are probably simply better test takers. *shrug*

It's possible, sure. It's also culturally biased, and also skewed towards language proficiency, which can adversely affect people who are non-verbal. (Though they have tests that can sidestep that)

That said, in the article, they say that the results held true across ethnic and socioeconomic lines.

And it's still a tricky thing when trying to predict future success, as well.

Hmm. Interesting. I'm wondering whether there is a bias in that the test is written by men? For example, before 1972, girls scored higher on the verbal section of the SAT than boys, so it was rewritten to be fairer to boys, perhaps overcompensating. (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0DE0DE1F39F937A25750C0A9619582 60&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=2) Boys tend to take more math and science classes in the first place, which may factor into better test results as well. In addition, I think it's too early to rule out socialization, either, still. The power of suggestion, mental attitude, confidence, etc., all make a massive impact on test-taking.

And just to be an exception...I'm a terrible test taker while my girlfriend is a master at it. It's terribly annoying. :tongue

[Cranky]

That's the trouble with IQ testing and then trying to apply it to individuals, imo. Along with some other kinds of testing (like SAT's).

I think it's easy to make gender driven generalizations off of them, but there are always exceptions that bust the curve. :D

[sassandgroove]

kuwisdelu- thanks for your post about the maze. When I was studying Child Development- we covered how boys and girls GENERALLY view the world differently (As in there are exceptions, Ferret.) One of the differences I remember was navigation. Males tend to navigate by vector and women by landmark. Your maze post supports that. I used to think I couldn't navigate. Then one day I went the Glendale Galleria - which is a huge mall in California, with a male friend. I knew the best place to park, the best restrooms, I knew the best path to take to cover the stores he wanted to go to, (he was a lister with a get in get out mentality so he didn't want to just stroll the mall that day.) I remember when we exited one store he started to go back the way we came - uh dude, we're going this way. When we were done, and I led us back to the car (by the giraff parking column) he said to me, "You said you can't navigate. Do what you just did OUTSIDE and you'll be fine." And I'll be damned if he wasn't right. I've had some fumbles sure, but since then I've been much more comfortable driving and navigating.

Another difference is spatial perception. I am terrible at judging what size container I need for leftovers and so I ask my husband. He finally said to me one day - When in doubt, get one you think is too big.

[Shadow_Ferret]

Males tend to navigate by vector and women by landmark. I must be a total anomoly. I navigate by landmark. If that landmark is ever removed, such as a special tree, a blue house, or what have you, I'm totally lost. I was driving down a street a couple blocks over from my house, and I always make a turn at this red house.

Bastards went and painted it. I drove on for several blocks had this anxiety attack that I didn't know where I was, and had to backtrack.

Mapquest is nearly indecypherable to me. If I'm ever going to a new job, I take the weekend prior and drive the route making note of the Glass Building, the Taco Bell, the tree struck by lightning, so I can make it there on time that Monday morning.

Wish mapquest would use landmarks.

But my son's Doctor says that's typical of AAD patients.

[Cranky]

I don't even bother with the map part of Mapquest. I just follow the written instructions. :D

I've learned how to use maps, but I vastly prefer landmarks or written directions to maps. Ugh.

[Shadow_Ferret]

I'm not good at following instructions. :)

[Cranky]

No TomTom for you! :D

[sassandgroove]

I know this is serious and all, but I just had to post this. A while back, I found this ( Ithink from Maestrowork actually) and copied it, filled it out for myself and sent it to my husband and our geek freinds, who all filled it out for themselves. I thought it was a fun activity.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3176/2695993613_6c7670d51e_o.jpg
hosted on flickr.com
sorry it is so big, the next size down was hard to read.

[Shadow_Ferret]

No TomTom for you! :D
I have my wife.

"Turn left. Left dammit! No, the other ... aaargh!"

[sassandgroove]

I didn't know they issued driver's licenses to ferrets.

*runs to hide*

[sassandgroove]

I was just telling my husband about this thread and quoted this:
Men remember the gist of the scene, and women the details.
and he replied "Yeah, while missing the whole point." Made me laugh, because I often get caught up in the little things and he has to remind me of the bigger picture.

I love this thread!

[Don]

I love this thread!

Yeah, and I thought I was gonna get chewed up bad. Just shows I really don't know a thing about women. :D

[Cranky]

Yeah, and I thought I was gonna get chewed up bad. Just shows I really don't know a thing about women. :D

Experimentation is the foundation of sound scientific exploration, Don. :D

[sassandgroove]

No, Don, I appreciate articles like that. Especially the part about physiological differences and how most medical treatments are geared toward men. That is important and should be explored further.

Sassy- in pain everyday but mostly just lives with it.

ETA: Mr. Groove might say "A pain everyday but I mostly just live with it."

I've had to grow a sense of humor since I married him. :D

Sass- workin' on it.

[Shadow_Ferret]

I do think the pain thing was interesting, such as "Women get more relief from the opioid painkiller nalbuphine compared to men, whereas in men morphine is more effective and nalbuphine actually increases the pain intensity."

Is that why there's a women's perfume called Opium but not one called Morphine?