Brain Differences in Men and Women p.

# 1

Brain Differences in Males and Females

For years men and women have been at odds on a variety of issues. Jokes are made
about how women remember past wrongs and bring up old fights when arguing with their
husbands. At the same time, women complain about men’s sexual appetites, dislike of intimacy,
or refusal to “talk things out.” These differences have formed the basis for a number of popular
books; the most recent being Men are from Mars, Women from Venus.
Recent research suggests that perhaps these differences are based on physical differences
in brain anatomy. Scientists at Johns Hopkins University, Sewell Hospital, as well as researchers
from other medical facilities have found small - but noticeable - differences in the brains of men
and women (Haederle, 1999). Although these seven differences are not visible when comparing
individuals, they become significant when comparing groups of men to groups of women
(Kimura, 1985).
Physical Differences
These physical differences tend to show up at about age 7 (Krupa, 2001). The differences
can be seen when comparing the general size of the brain, the number of “gray” and “white”
cells contained in the brain, relative hemisphere size, hypothalamus size, as well as the size of
the corpus callosum. Contrasts in morphology translate into behavioral and attitudinal
differences in the two genders. These differences can profoundly impact not only how a teacher
handles lessons or classroom management in the average public school classroom, but also how
physicians treat brain injuries or comfort the aged.
Not only is the average male body larger than the average female, but their brain size also
tends to be larger (Ariniello, 1998). This is interesting considering that even though smaller,
women’s brains have more gray and white matter (Bland, 1998). Gray cells are responsible for
processing information, while white cells are neuron tissue used for communicating between
cells (Bland, 1998). Female superiority in number of cells and connective tissue indicates that
perhaps women process information differently than men and use their brains in gender-specific
ways.
In women, the left hemisphere is nearly equal in size to the right hemisphere but in men,
the left hemisphere is slightly larger than the right (Ariniello, 1998).
The hypothalamus, a small area in the center of the brain responsible for aggression,
thirst, hunger, and sexual appetite tends to be larger in men than in women (Chadwick, 2001).
Comparatively, females have a larger corpus callosum (Chadwick, 2001). This portion of the
brain acts as the communication highway between right and left hemispheres (Heim, 2001). As
we will see later, these two physical differences translate into profound behavioral and
processing differences.
Scientists who research brain functions have noticed that men tend to be “site specific”
when processing information (Heim, 2001). When examining the brains of rats and humans
researchers noticed that males tended to use specific areas of their brain while female brain
activity was scattered throughout both hemispheres (Kimura, 1985). This processing difference
translates to marked divergence in males and female’s behavior during old age or following
recovery after an injury (Eby, 2001).
Consequences
Because of the physical differences in brain morphology, men and women use their
brains in different ways. Men tend to rely on single cues to process information and make
 Brain Differences in Men and Women p. # 3

judgments (Heim, 2001). When shown a series of photographs and asked to explain the emotion
that was depicted, men tended to observe only broad, obvious cues. Women, on the other hand,
noticed not only the obvious cues, but also the subtle cues. As a result, women tended to identify
the correct emotion more often than men, but they took slightly longer to do so (Heim, 2001).
Spatial ability is located in the left hemisphere (Peek, 2001). Because this area tends to
be larger in men than women, men had an advantage in hitting targets, mentally manipulating
maps, compute mathematical problems, and breaking items into their basic components (Sutter
Health System, 2001). By comparison, women scored lower in hitting targets and computing
math problems (Chadwick, 2001). Researchers noted that when asked to manipulate maps,
women changed the physical orientation of the map itself; men, however, could make the
perspective change in their heads. Women had a more “global” understanding of word problems
than men, and tended to understand how mechanical gadgets worked on a “theoretical level”
rather than on a technical level (Eby, 2001).
A hypothalamus which gets up to four times larger in males than females (Young, 2000)
points to a more aggressive attitude, a competitive behavior, and a comparatively large sexual
appetite. Men reacted more to sexual photographs than women (women responded better to
titillating passages in books (Chadwick, 2001, Heim, 2001). The larger hypothalamus tends to
make men more domineering, power-hunger, and goal oriented. Women, by comparison, tended
to be more socially conscious and worked cooperatively to arrive at a consensus (Chadwick,
2001). When men were faced with a problem, researchers noted that men came to a decision,
acted, and moved on, whereas women preferred to discuss the problem, consider different
perspectives, and come to an agreement on how best to solve the problem .
A larger corpus callosum in females translated to better, and faster, communication
between the right and left hemispheres of the brain (Kimura, 1985). MRIs and brain scans show
that, unlike men, women tend to process information in a variety of different places in their brain
(Sutter Health System, 2001). Some of these sites are located in the left hemisphere, while
others are located in the right. As a result, women tend to possess superior verbal ability; baby
girls talk earlier and more fluently than baby boys (Discover NeuroQuest, 2001). Little girls
enter kindergarten with a larger vocabulary than boys, and learn foreign languages more easily
than their male counterparts (Kimura, 1985).
Just as the jokes indicate, women actually tend to have a better (longer) memory than
men. They can remember past events, faces, names, and memorized passages more easily than
men do. Women tend to process problems intuitively and creatively, while men tend to be more
technical and direct (Heim, 2001). Women surpass men in fine motor control (which says a lot
for Rosy Greer’s aptitude for needlepoint) and tend to be right handed more often than men
(Chadwick, 2001).
Implications for School
A brain-savvy administrator should be aware of gender differences in his/her students.
The administrator could use this knowledge to make sure that teachers provide young students
with plenty of opportunities to develop fine motor control before teaching handwriting. Some
activities that might develop this skill might include coloring, painting, learning to tie shoes,
sewing cards, or buttoning. Manipulatives should be readily available in all the classrooms, and
students should be encouraged to work cooperatively in teams or pairs. A good team-pair might
include a girl (who understands the mathematical word problem) and a boy (who knows the steps
 Brain Differences in Men and Women p. # 4

involved in solving it). A reading or English assignment might include reading a story passage,
identifying the problem, and creating a new ending. Budding scientists could work together to
describe and record the changes in a butterfly cocoon. A cooperative assignment in a foreign
language class might involve (male) Partner #1 tape-recording directions (in Spanish, for
example) for assembling a 3D puzzle that (female) Partner #2 must later listen to and follow.
Implications for Injury and Old Age
Because men tend to be site-specific in brain activity, it stands to reason that men suffer
more from injury and old age (Gur, 1991). If regions of the brain are impaired as a result of
stroke or injury, then those areas are “lost” in men; however, for women, the result is not as
devastating. Because women use a variety of brain locales to process information, if one site is
injured, the rest of the brain just compensates and develops additional dendrites (Eby, 2001). As
a result, women tend to “age” mentally better than men.
Conclusions
After doing this research I have come to a new appreciation of some “old wives tales”
about the differences in men and women. Rather than just discount the complainers as gender-
prejudiced, I better appreciate women’s long memories and men’s athletic ability. However,
because these differences tend to be slight, we must remain sensitive to cultural (or gender) bias
in our families, communities, and schools.
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References

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