Study: His Brain, Her Brain (Scientific American Minds 2012)
NOTE: Recent research by Daphna Joel at Tel Aviv University throws the “different brains” theory into question by looking at physical brain structure. “between 0 and 8 per cent of people had “all-male” or “all-female” brains, depending on the definition. “Most people are in the middle.” (November, 2015)
Summary:
His and hers brains–are they different? According to neuroscientist Michael Meaney of McGill, social interaction and experiences can play a role in a child’s development. This is in addition to the natural developments that are inherent to the brain. Meaney found that the manner in which boys and girls are mothered can have a effect on the neural functions and leave a long- lasting imprint on a child.
The difference inherent to the sexes can be exacerbated by the way in which parents treat their children. According to the facts presented by the article, boys and girls are not so psychologically different as society believes in terms of intellectual performance, empathy, and “types of aggression”. Researchers also purport that the difference between brain structures of boys and girls are not very great. Although boys’ brains are larger and girls’ brains develop faster, this does not explain why boys are more active, girls are more verbal, and emotional and cognitive discrepancies. According to research, sex hormone levels are equal from the age of six months to puberty yet there is still a wide gap in the amount of activity between girls and boys.
This can be, to some great degree, attributed to how mothers treat their children from a young age. For example, mothers preferring their daughters to steer clear of physical exertion to avoid being hurt. One of the most telling methods of determining gender differences is toy selection. Toy preference is something that can be observed towards the final stages of infancy and while this may be determined by hormones, it can be strengthened by parental influence or preference for their children to play with these toys. Research from 2004 shows that boys are more aggressive than girls. However, this is not caused by, as the article calls it, a “resurgence” in testosterone among boys. It is rather a case of how the aggression among both sexes is expressed. Among girls, aggression is more along the lines of gossip and ostracism; among boys, things are more physical. Girls are found to learn earlier than boys that physical aggression is unacceptable. Women were also found to be empathetic and several studies have tried to attribute women’s more observant nature concerning feelings with a part of the brain called the amygdala. However, there is no real solid evidence that supports this hypothesis but there is a correlation between social learning and empathetic notions among men and women. Finally, it is untrue that women are wired to become better readers or more eloquent speakers. More studies purport that a toddler’s verbal ability is determined 50% by their environment.
Note: The original 2010 Scientific American article accentuating differences was removed from the web and replaced with this 2012 edition.
