A new study shows that men and women may have some differences when it comes to their emotions. However, they also seem to have similarities when it comes to stress.
Researchers tracked 142 men and women over 75 days to detect fluctuations in their emotions. They split them into four groups: one naturally cycling and three using different forms of oral contraceptives.
1. They are less aggressive
Men are said to be calmer than women because they have a different way of thinking and reacting to situations. They tend to take their time before committing to actions that may be perceived as aggressive or rude.
They also have a tendency to be more risk-averse than females. This may be due to a desire to protect their children from the dangers of violence and injury.
Gender differences in aggression start at birth and are often exacerbated by the society where they grow up. Biologically this difference is rooted in testosterone levels, which stimulates the subcortical brain areas that produce aggressive feelings.
2. They are more sensitive
According to recent studies, men may be more sensitive than women. This has to do with the fact that they have four times as many brain cells connecting the right and left sides of their brains.
This also explains their ability to decode subtly encoded social and emotional messages. As a result, they tend to be more intuitive, holistic, creative and integrative. This is not to say that they’re not logical or analytical, but the way they use their brains helps them make more sense of complicated situations. This is also why they’re more likely to find a solution to a problem than their female counterparts. Their sensitivity to emotions and their ability to decipher subtle cues gives them an edge in navigating the maze of life.
3. They are more creative
Creativity can improve our mental health, and it can also help us in our daily lives. It can help us to find solutions to problems and think flexibly.
In addition, being creative can also reduce stress and anxiety. When people are in a creative state, their brainwaves slow down and they release feel-good chemicals, like endorphins and dopamine.
There have been many studies on the topic of creativity and women, and it has been found that men tend to be more creative than women. However, the research shows that this stereotype is slowly fading, and there are now more studies showing that women can be just as creative as men.
4. They are more patient
Patience is an important virtue that can improve your health, happiness, relationships and goals. It allows you to remain calm and avoid impulsive actions when faced with challenges.
For example, if you’re stuck in traffic, fuming about the situation won’t help. Instead, think of ways to solve the problem in a productive manner.
Patient people have less stress and suffer fewer health problems, including heart conditions and ulcers. They also make better decisions, which can lead to a longer life and more enjoyment.
5. They are more sensitive to other people’s emotions
A new study suggests that men are actually more sensitive to other people’s emotions than women. In fact, according to neurologists at Mindlab, males are much more sensitive when it comes to being presented with emotional stimuli.
In the research, men had twice as much trouble recognizing emotion from images of female eyes than they did when looking at pictures of male eyes. This may be due to the different activation of parts of their brains that are tied to emotion, empathy and behavior, the researchers write.
The amygdala, a part of the brain that is tied to emotions, empathy and fear, was more active when men looked at the women’s eyes. Another part of the brain linked to reasoning activated less strongly when men looked at the women’s eyes.