Table of Contents
Brain differences between men and women
Several studies have proven significant differences between average male and female brains. These differences are located in both the primitive regions and the newer parts of the brain called neocortex – the higher brain regions.
Men and women tend to process information differently because of differences in a portion of the brain called the splenium, which is much larger in women than in men and has more brain-wave activity.
READ Women Think Skinny Equals Happiness
Is there a difference in intelligence between men and women?
Many small-scale studies report differences not repeated in larger studies which, or course, caused arguments and confusion. Several types of research done on volunteers have proven that there is no significant difference in the average intelligence level of men and women.
However, there are some slight global differences [8]:
- An average man performs better on tests of spatial and mathematical ability, while women perform better on tests of verbal ability and memory.
- Men’s IQ has greater variance, which means that there are more men than women in the very high and very low IQ groups.
Behavioral differences between men and women
There are some behavioral differences between men and women that tend to hold true, and the most common ones are [9]:
- Men are more physically aggressive.
- Men masturbate more often.
- Women are less likely to successfully commit suicide, but more likely to attempt it.
- Men have more positive attitudes about sex than women do.
- Men are more prone to taking risks.
- Women express their emotions more readily and are willing to show a greater intensity of emotion.
Sex differences in mental health
Several mental illnesses are proven to be differently distributed between the sexes. Let's take a look at the most common of these mental illnesses.
Depression
Several pieces of research have shown that depression affects females twice as often as it does males. [10] Serotonin is a chemical required in the brain for “happy mood maintenance”. The rate of synthesis and level of serotonin in the blood are significantly higher in men than in women. These differences may help explain why depression is more common in women. Both depression and panic disorder rates, which are two disorders with higher rates in women than men, may be tied to childhood experiences of abuse.
Schizophrenia
Although this disorder affects men and women equally, men typically experience symptoms earlier, with more intensity, and have a poorer prognosis than women. [11] Symptoms of schizophrenia in women more frequently involve depression and greater disorders in thought conceptualization, while men report more apathy, disorders of speech, disturbance in cognitive function, and social isolation.
Alzheimer’s disease
Several studies have shown that women are at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than men are. [12] Alzheimer's disease is caused by damage to the white brain matter. On the other hand, men with Alzheimer’s disease have a higher risk of mortality than women do.
Stress Disorders
Anxiety disorders are chronic illnesses that occur more often in women than men. The risk of post-traumatic stress disorder following a traumatic experience is much higher in women than men. Women are also more likely to have been previously assaulted or to have sustained an injury by a relative or someone they know. [13]
Are there differences in the perception of happiness between men and women?
In general, evidence suggests that women are happier with their lives than men are. Women also show greater concern for family and home life issues, while men express more passion about political issues; both differences that have a lot to do with typical socialization. [14]
Different brains – Different abilities?
In general, males appear to have better spatial and math skills than females. On the other hand, girls tend to be more vocal than boys. Males are much better at visualizing a three-dimensional object than women are.