Recent studies are showing differences in female and male brain activity when it comes to cooperation. When an individual is faced with a problem and cooperation is the only pathway towards the solution; men and women approach these types of similar tasks in their own unique ways. These differences in approach can be seen in their brain's activity. When researchers from Stanford University of School of Medicine asked people to work with a partner, they tracked the brain activity of both participants. The results showed that males and females do in fact have different patterns of brain activity. (A)
The findings of 'Scientific Reports' (June 8, 2016) showed that cooperative behavior may have evolved differently between males and females, giving researchers new ways in which to enhance cooperative behavior. Neither gender is better than the other at cooperating, but it is the way in which they cooperate that is different.Anyone who has ever been a
participant in a group project knows that not everyone cooperates
equally. Behavioral studies have found that women
cooperate more when they’re being watched by other women whereas, men tend
to cooperate better in large groups. In addition, while a pair of men
might
cooperate better than a pair of women, in a mixed-sex pair the woman
tends to be more cooperative. There have been many theories as to why
this happens however, there has been very little science on brain activity that supports these theories.(A)
Hyper-scanning is the technique the Stanford researchers used to detect the brains activity during cooperation.It involved simultaneously recording the activity in two participating individual’s brains while they
interacted with each other to accomplish a task. Instead of an MRI machine where individuals have to participate while remaining perfectly still and flat in order for the machine to gather data, the scientists had to use near-infrared spectroscopy or NIRS (probes are attached to individuals head to record brain function. With this method, individuals are allowed to sit upright and interact more
naturally.) While wearing the NIRS probes, each person sat in front a computer,
across the table from their partner. Partners could see each other, but
were instructed not to talk. Instead, they were asked to press a button
when a circle on the computer screen changed color. The goal: to press
the button simultaneously with their partner. After each try, the pair
were told who had pressed the button sooner and how much sooner. They
had 40 tries to get their timing as close as possible.(A)
On average, male-male pairs performed better than female-female pairs at timing their button pushes more closely, the researchers found. However, the brain activity in both same-sex pairs was highly synchronized during the activity, meaning that they had high levels of "inter-brain coherence." Within same-sex pairs, increased coherence was correlated with better performance on the cooperation task,” Baker said., “However, the location of coherence differed between male-male and female-female airs.” Surprisingly, though, male-female pairs did as well as male-male pairs at the cooperation task, even though they didn’t show coherence. Since the brains of males and females showed different patterns of activity during the exercise, more research might shed light on how sex-related differences in the brain inform cooperation strategy — at least when it comes to this particular type of cooperation. (A)
Sex differences
can be seen in the brain's function and form. The brains of males and
females are not the same as sex differences can be seen in the brain's function as well as its form. So, the question now is, how does the brain differ for each gender? The first and most likely to have the greatest influence on these differences are the sex hormones. These hormones greatest influence or activity is during the developmental stages of a fetus. A study from Israeli revealed that up until 26 weeks of pregnancy
the developing fetus shows differences in the brains of each gender.
Through an ultra sound scanner the researchers were able to see the
corpus callosum (which is the bridge of nerve tissue that connects the
right and left sides of the brain). The ultra sound scanner revealed thicker measurements in female
fetuses than those in male fetuses.(B)
In adult brains however, the corpus callosum can be stronger in female brains. They have a language functioning in both sides of the brain. Using brain imaging technology that captures blood flow to working parts of the brain analyzed how men and women process language. Every participant in the study listened to a novel where when the males listened only the left hemisphere of their brains were activated. Those of the female brains showed activity on both the left and right hemispheres.This activity across both hemispheres of the brain may result in the strong language skills typically displayed by females. If there's more area dedicated to a set of skills, it follows that the skills will be more refined. Overall females outperform males in the usage of their language and fine motor skills up until puberty. Males are more likely to have learning disabilities such as dyslexia, and ADHD. When females suffer with ADHD it is usually because they show inattention whereas males it affects their lack of impulse of control. Not all these differences however are in favor to females.(B)
Males show superiority over females in areas of math and geometry. These areas in the brain mature four years earlier than in females (from a study of over 500 children where their brain development were measured). When comparing brains in the area of math, the brain of a 12 year old female brain resembles the brain of an 8 year old male brain. The same researchers discovered that the areas of the brain
involved in language and fine motor skills (such as handwriting) mature
about six years earlier in girls than in boys. Throughout a human beings life span, the brain characteristics of females and males maintain unique characteristics. The male brain is 10% larger than a female brain. But bigger doesn't necessarily mean smarter. Male brains contain 6.5 times more gray matter which is sometimes referred as 'thinking matter' in comparison to females. On the other hand, female brain has more than 9.5 times as much white matter which functions in connecting various parts of the brain. The frontal area of the cortex and the temporal area of
the cortex are more precisely organized in women, and are bigger in
volume. This difference in form may explain a
lasting functional advantage that females seem to have over males:
dominant language skills.(B)
Scientists generally study four primary areas of difference in male
and female brains: processing, chemistry, structure, and activity. The
differences between male and female brains in these areas show up all
over the world, but scientists also have discovered exceptions to every
so-called gender rule. You may know some boys who are very sensitive, immensely
talkative about feelings, and just generally don’t seem to fit the “boy”
way of doing things. As with all gender differences, no one way of
doing things is better or worse. The differences listed below are simply
generalized differences in typical brain functioning, and it is
important to remember that all differences have advantages and
disadvantages. Male brains utilize nearly seven times more gray matter for activity while female brains utilize nearly ten times more white matter. What does this mean? Gray matter areas of the brain are localized. They are information-
and action-processing centers in specific splotches in a specific area
of the brain. This can translate to a kind of tunnel vision when they
are doing something. Once they are deeply engaged in a task or game,
they may not demonstrate much sensitivity to other people or their
surroundings.(C)
Using existing sets of MRI brain images, they
measured the volume of gray matter (the dark, knobby tissue that
contains the core of nerve cells) and white matter (the bundles of nerve
fibers that transmit signals around the nervous system) in the brains
of more than 1400 individuals. They also studied data from diffusion
tensor imaging, which shows how tracts of white matter extend throughout
the brain, connecting different regions. White matter is the networking grid that connects the brain’s gray matter and other processing centers
with one another. This profound brain-processing difference is probably
one reason you may have noticed that girls tend to more quickly
transition between tasks than boys do. The gray-white matter difference
may explain why, in adulthood, females are great multi-taskers, while
men excel in highly task-focused projects.(C)
The team found a few structural differences between men and women. The left hippocampus, for example, an area of the brain associated with memory, was usually larger in men than in women. In each region, however, there was significant overlap between males and females; some women had a larger or more male-typical left hippocampus, for example, while the hippocampus of some men was smaller than that of the average female.(C) Women use language skills to their advantage especially when they compete. They tend to gossip and manipulate information. This behavior is referred to as relational aggression and may have given females a survival advantage long ago. Having the ability to use language to organize relationships as a benefit during evolutionary history and used more frequently by females. subsequently, as expected, the language differences are more drastic between the two genders. Women also use language to build relationships, they tend to pause more, allow the other friend to speak more, offer facilitative gestures. (B)
The team found a few structural differences between men and women. The left hippocampus, for example, an area of the brain associated with memory, was usually larger in men than in women. In each region, however, there was significant overlap between males and females; some women had a larger or more male-typical left hippocampus, for example, while the hippocampus of some men was smaller than that of the average female.(C) Women use language skills to their advantage especially when they compete. They tend to gossip and manipulate information. This behavior is referred to as relational aggression and may have given females a survival advantage long ago. Having the ability to use language to organize relationships as a benefit during evolutionary history and used more frequently by females. subsequently, as expected, the language differences are more drastic between the two genders. Women also use language to build relationships, they tend to pause more, allow the other friend to speak more, offer facilitative gestures. (B)
Recently discovered, sections of the brain used to control aggression and anger responses are larger in women than in men. These sex-associated brain differences may lead us to believe that men and women have little in common upstairs.However this is not the case as most of the brain areas are the same. These skill are overlapping in their distributions because there are many women with better-than-average spatial skills, and men with good writing skills.Some researchers believe that nurturing one's brain can enhance what nature has provided. Consider, for instance, the general superiority of males' spatial abilities. As anyone who spends a significant time around children knows, boys tend to get a lot more practice "moving through space"(chasing a ball, for instance) than girls do. There is a possibility to erase this difference if girls were encouraged to explore more. Others believe brain variations between sexes are for the best. Most of these differences are complementary. They increase the chances of males and females joining together. It helps the whole species.(B)
All human brains, regardless of gender, share a patchwork
of forms in which some are more common in males and others more common in females. These recent studies on the brain could forever change the way in which scientists and researchers study the brain including how society defines gender. In conclusion: males have a larger amyglada (region associated with emotion) than women. Differences are influenced by the environment. However, the data reveals that there is much more overlap than
difference between males and females. The findings have broad implications, Joel says. For one, she
contends, researchers studying the brain may not need to compare males
and females when analyzing their data. The
extreme variability of human brains undermines the justifications for
single-sex education based on innate differences between males and
females, and perhaps even our definitions of gender as a social
category. Some disagree that it
might not be useful to consider sex as a variable when studying the
brain. By studying male versus female
brains, we have a great tool for exploring the biological basis of those
differences.(C)
Male and female brains process the same neurochemicals but to
different degrees and through gender-specific body-brain connections.
Some dominant neurochemicals are serotonin, which, among other things. Testosterone which is our sex and aggression hormone and estrogen a female growth and reproductive hormone and lastly oxytocin is a bonding relationship chemical. The differences in
processing these chemicals, males on average tend to be less inclined to sit still for as long as females and tend to be more physically impulsive and aggressive. Additionally, males process less of the bonding chemical oxytocin than females. Overall, a major takeaway of chemistry differences is to realize that our boys at times need different strategies for stress release than our girls.(C)
Females tend to
input or absorb more sensorial and emotive information than males do. By
“sensorial” we mean information to and from all five senses. If you
note your observations over the next months of boys and girls and women
and men, you will find that females tend to sense a lot more of what is
going on around them throughout the day, and they retain that sensorial
information more than men.(C)
Before boys or girls are born, their brains developed with different hemispheric divisions of labor. The right and left hemispheres of the male and female brains are not set up exactly the same way. For instance, females tend to have verbal centers on both sides of the brain, while males tend to have verbal centers on only the left hemisphere. This is a significant difference. Girls tend to use more words when discussing or describing incidence, story, person, object, feeling, or place. Males not only have fewer verbal centers in general but also, often, have less connectivity between their word centers and their memories or feelings. When it comes to discussing feelings and emotions and senses together, girls tend to have an advantage, and they tend to have more interest in talking about these things.(C)
Blood Flow and Brain Activity: During emotional processing there is another difference in the activity of males and females' brains. The female brain, in part thanks to far more natural blood flow throughout the brain at any given moment (more white matter processing), and because of a higher degree of blood flow in concentration in part of the brain named 'cingulate gyrus' which often times ruminate on and revisit emotional memories more than the male brain. Males, in general, are designed a bit differently. Males tend, after reflecting more briefly on an emotive memory, to analyze it somewhat, then move onto the next task. During this process, they may also choose to change course and do something active and unrelated to feelings rather than analyze their feelings at all. Thus, observers may mistakenly believe that boys avoid feelings in comparison to girls or move to problem-solving too quickly.(C)
These four, natural design differences listed above are just a sample of how males and females think differently. Scientists have discovered approximately 100 gender differences in the brain, and the importance of these differences cannot be overstated.Understanding these gender differences from a neurological perspective not only opens the door to greater appreciation of the different genders, it also calls into question how we parent, educate, and support our children from a young age.(C)
Links:processing these chemicals, males on average tend to be less inclined to sit still for as long as females and tend to be more physically impulsive and aggressive. Additionally, males process less of the bonding chemical oxytocin than females. Overall, a major takeaway of chemistry differences is to realize that our boys at times need different strategies for stress release than our girls.(C)
Before boys or girls are born, their brains developed with different hemispheric divisions of labor. The right and left hemispheres of the male and female brains are not set up exactly the same way. For instance, females tend to have verbal centers on both sides of the brain, while males tend to have verbal centers on only the left hemisphere. This is a significant difference. Girls tend to use more words when discussing or describing incidence, story, person, object, feeling, or place. Males not only have fewer verbal centers in general but also, often, have less connectivity between their word centers and their memories or feelings. When it comes to discussing feelings and emotions and senses together, girls tend to have an advantage, and they tend to have more interest in talking about these things.(C)
Blood Flow and Brain Activity: During emotional processing there is another difference in the activity of males and females' brains. The female brain, in part thanks to far more natural blood flow throughout the brain at any given moment (more white matter processing), and because of a higher degree of blood flow in concentration in part of the brain named 'cingulate gyrus' which often times ruminate on and revisit emotional memories more than the male brain. Males, in general, are designed a bit differently. Males tend, after reflecting more briefly on an emotive memory, to analyze it somewhat, then move onto the next task. During this process, they may also choose to change course and do something active and unrelated to feelings rather than analyze their feelings at all. Thus, observers may mistakenly believe that boys avoid feelings in comparison to girls or move to problem-solving too quickly.(C)
These four, natural design differences listed above are just a sample of how males and females think differently. Scientists have discovered approximately 100 gender differences in the brain, and the importance of these differences cannot be overstated.Understanding these gender differences from a neurological perspective not only opens the door to greater appreciation of the different genders, it also calls into question how we parent, educate, and support our children from a young age.(C)
(A) https://neuroscience.stanford.edu/news/study-finds-differences-male-female-brain-activity-when-it-comes-cooperation
(B)http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/how-male-female-brains-differ?page=1
(C)http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/11/brains-men-and-women-aren-t-really-different-study-finds
(D)https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/hope-relationships/201402/brain-differences-between-genders
*Please note! These images are not mine. They were found on various tumblr sites! If any are yours please let me know so that I can give you credit for them! Also the people in the images have no relation to the diseases, illnesses, or cancers I write about. Thanks so much & enjoy~
No comments:
Post a Comment