8 Important Differences Between Men & Women
By Alex Matlock. Posted on .
3. Mathematical abilities. An area in the brain called the inferior-parietal lobule (IPL) is typically significantly larger in men than women, especially on the left side. This is the section responsible with mathematical ability, and it probably explains why men perform higher in mathematical tasks than women. What's even more interesting is that this area of the brain was abnormally large in Einstein. The IPL also processes sensory information, and the larger right side in women allows them to focus on "specific stimuli" such as baby crying in the night.
4. Reactions to stress. In stressful situations, men have a response reaction that resembles "fight or flight" while women react with a "tend and befriend" strategy. Psychologist Shelly E. Taylor first came up with the phrase "tend an befriend" after noticing that during times of stress, women tend to take care of themselves and their children (tending) and form strong group bonds (befriending).
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The reason behind these different reactions to stress comes down to hormones. When someone is under stress, the hormone oxytocin is released into the body. In men, testosterone reduces the effects of oxytocin as it is produced in high volumes during stress. This explains the reason for the "fight or flight" response. In women, estrogen amplifies the effects of oxytocin, resulting in calming and nurturing feelings.
5. Language. The two sections in the brain responsible for language have been found to be significantly larger in women than in men, suggesting one reason why women typically excel in language-based subjects and in language-associated thinking. It's also important to mention that men typically process language in one hemisphere while women process it in both. This difference offers a bit of protection in case of a stroke, as women may be able to recover fully from a stroke affecting the language areas in the brain while men may not have this same advantage.
6. Emotions. The most obvious difference between men and women is probably about emotions. Women have a larger deep limbic system than men, allowing womento be more "in touch" with their feelings and better able to express themselves, which promotes bonding with others. This is one of the reasons why women serve as caregivers for children.
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Sadly, this comes with a downside as this larger deep limbic system also opens women up to depression, especially during times of hormonal shifts such as after childbirth or during a woman's menstrual cycle.
