Are men really from Mars? Are women really from Venus?
Or are both genders shaped by their cultural experiences on planet Earth?
“Yes, men and women probably do have differently wired brains, but there is little convincing evidence to suggest these variations are caused by anything other than cultural factors. Males develop improved spatial skills not because of an innate superiority but because they are expected and encouraged to be strong at sport, which requires expertise at catching and throwing. Similarly, it is anticipated that girls will be more emotional and talkative, and so their verbal skills are emphasised by teachers and parents. As the years pass, these different lifestyles produce variations in brain wiring – which is a lot more plastic than most biological determinists realise.”
This is an extract from an article by Robin McKie in today’s “Observer” newspaper commenting on research which has featured in other media this week.
December 9th, 2013 at 12:01 am
Simon Baron-Cohen (2003 The Essential Difference (Men, Women and the Extreme Male Brain)) takes a different view:
“The female brain is predominantly hard-wired for empathy. The male brain is predominantly hard-wired for understanding and building systems”
“Not all men have the male brain and not all women have the female brain. In fact some women have the male brain and some men have the female brain. More males than females have a brain of type S [systemizing] and more females than males have a brain of type E [empathizing]”