Gender Differences: a summary of the research

Gender Differences: a summary of the research

Biological DifferencesBiological Differences

Pet ScanPet Scan

Biological Differences continued…

Biological Differences continued…

• Male brains:• Are filled with more fluid and fat which speeds communication throughout the brain.

• Have closely packed regions connecting emotion with physical action.

• Uses more compartmentalization in brain function

• Become overwhelmed easily

• Female brains:• Have more densely-packed cells in the frontal lobe affecting judgment, personality, and reasoning -- controlling aggression.

• Have emotional regions more closely connected to the part of the brain dealing with language.

• Are never at rest• Have a thicker corpus callosum

Biological Differences (cont.)Biological Differences (cont.)

• Males have a 10-15% larger brain than females.• Men have about 4 billion more cortical neurons than women.

• In men, the hypothalamus (the area that plays a key role in sexuality) is larger, but the area that is involved in biological rhythms is smaller.

• “The brain of the 17-year-old boy looks like the brain of the 11 year-old girl.”(Caviness, Kennedy, et al.)

• “Boys have an advantage over girls in their understanding of spatial relationships by age 4 1/2.” (www-news.uchicago.edu)

Biological Differences (cont.)Biological Differences (cont.)

• Hearing - Females hear better and retain hearing longer in life. They perceive volume louder than boys. They learn to speak earlier and learn languages more quickly. Females excel at verbal memory and process language faster and more accurately.

• Vision -Males have better distance vision and depth perception. Females have better peripheral vision. Males see better in bright light; while females have better night vision. Females excel at visual memory, interpreting facial clues, and storing random, irrelevant visual information.

Biological Differences (cont.)Biological Differences (cont.)• Touch - Females have a more diffused and sensitive sense of touch. They react faster and more acutely to pain, yet can withstand pain over a longer duration than males. Males react more to extremes in temperature. Females have greater sensitivity in fingers and hands. They are superior in performing new motor combinations and in fine motor dexterity.

• Activity - Male infants play with more objects, more often than female. Females are more responsive to playmates.

• Smell and Taste - Women have a stronger sense of smell and are more responsive to aromas, odors, and subtle changes in smell. They are more sensitive to bitter flavors and prefer sweet flavors.

Functional DifferencesFunctional Differences

• Male brains function best at:

• Spatial ability• Spatial memory• Target-directed motor functions

• Specialized skills• Mathematical reasoning tests

• Relying on the right hemisphere (language is an exception)

• Female brains function best at:

• Verbal memory• Facial memory (reading emotional cues and verbal nuances)

• Visual memory• Sensory memory• Language skills• Fine motor skills• Multi-tasking• Relying on the left hemisphere

Emotional differencesEmotional differences

• Males:• Testosterone directs the male brain toward competition.

• Aggressive/impulsive first and asks questions later

• Moods swings from aggressive to withdrawn

• Strive for dominance• Filter out much information and become task oriented, thus failing to pick up on subtleties

• Females:• Possess a greater amount of oxytoxin --the bonding chemical, and serotonin --the calming chemical.

• More empathetic to others

• Bond first and asks questions later

• Enjoy conversations to relax

• Remember details in an emotionally charged event.

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Emotional differences continued…

• Males:• Can detect limited evoked emotions

• Remember the “big picture” in emotionally charged events

• Take hours to process emotions

• Play games with clear winners and losers

• Need to “zone out” to relax

• Process anger first

• Females:• Can detect posed emotions

• Work well in collaborative groups

• Process fear and anxiety first, but work through emotions in the neocortex

• Have a more complex reaction to emotional situations

Males in the ClassroomMales in the Classroom

• Boys focus on individual debates and abstract ideas.

• Males prefer to “stick to the plan” to manage stimulation. They have a quick direct route to the goal.

• Males use deductive reasoning.• Males are motivated by competition.

Males continued…Males continued…

• Boys do well on multiple choice tests. • It is difficult to ask a boy to “give me an example.”

• Math taught using a white board is effective for boys.

• Boys prefer to work silently as they learn -- they are not as comfortable in groups.

• In resolving conflicts, boys resort to threats.

• “Males like abstract arguments, philosophical conundrums, and moral debates about abstract principles.” Michael Gurian

Males continued…Males continued…

• Boys require varied stimulation to offset boredom.

• Boys use more space to learn -- movement helps stimulate their brains and relieve impulsive behavior.

• Boys are bent toward symbolic text and often rely on pictures.

• Less developed than girls verbally

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• In reading, boys focus on the author’s symbolism and imagery patterns and choose illustrated texts about how things work.

• Ruben Gur suggests that boys will “choose interactive social activities that decrease verbals and increase spatials and aggression.”

• Males work well with lists.• Need athletics and male mentors• Crave discipline, need a powerful authority figure, and relate well to a strong voice.

• Need more bonding experiences, more verbalization, and less isolation.

Females in the ClassroomFemales in the Classroom

• Enjoy role-playing activities• Works well with manipulatives in math• Respond best to information that is real and relative

• Tend to look at the teacher as an ally• Thrive in collaborative groups• Are likely to seek adults help• Prefer short stories and novels• Relate well to the role of the character• Prefer books focusing on relationships• Learn well from hands-on learning and journals

• Use inductive reasoning• Need activities which encourage risk-taking

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• Are wounded if the teacher yells at them• Hear better, have a keener sense of smell, and take in more sensory input through touch than boys

• Tend to be excessively critical of their on work

• Must be encouraged• Shrink away from confrontational teaching style

• Benefit from learning enhanced by context• Learn from examples and physical objects -- it helps to see, touch and hear things to understand them.

• Could spend too long thinking through possible answers to a question on a standardized test.

Females continued…Females continued…

• Have highly developed linguistic skills

• Create group problem solving activities

• Seek peer bonding activities• Need a classroom that is a safe, welcoming and comfortable.

• Female mentors are critical• Lose confidence in their academic abilities around the eight grade -- especially in their math and science ability

The Major DifferenceThe Major Difference

ResourcesResources

Begley, S. “Getting inside the teenage brain.”Newsweek, February, 28, 200, 135(9(, 58.

Blum, D. “What’s the difference between boys and girls?”

Brownlee, S. “Inside the teenage brain.” U.S. News and World Report, August 19, 127(6), 44-54.

Caviness, V.S., Kennedy, D.N. , et. Al. “The human brain age 7-11 years.” Ceberal Cortex, 1996, 6:726-736.

Conlin, M. “The new gender gap.” Business Week, May 26, 2003, 75-82.

Gur, R.C., Turetsky, B. Matsui, M., Bilker, W., Hughett, P. & Gur, R. (1999) “Sex differences in gray and white matter in healthy young adults: Correlations with cognitive performance.” The Journal of Neuroscience, 19(10), 4065-4072.

Resources continued…Resources continued…

Gurian, M. and Henley, P. Boys and girls learn differently. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2001.

Jensen, E. Brain-Based Learning: The New Science of Teaching & Training. San Diego, CA: The Brain Store, 2000. Jensen, E. Teaching with the brain in mind. Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD, 1998.

Restak, R. Mozart’s brain and the fighter pilot. New York: Harmony Books, 2001.

Sax, L., “Rethinking Title IX.” Washington Times, July 2, 2001.

Schrage, M. “Why can’t a woman be more like a man?” Fortune, August 16,1999, 140(4), 184.

Sylvester, R. A biological brain in a cultural classroom. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc., 2000.

Travis, J. “Testosterone keeps male brain in shape.” Science News, June 26, 1999, 155(26), 406.