BIOLOGY Dictates Most
Gender Communication Differences!
(They’re Not Just Stereotypes or Social Differences)

by Jane Sanders

Yes, a controversial statement to make! But important to understand and accept in order to approach these differences with an open mind and positive attitude. Associated stereotypes stem from these biological differences, so in fact most are generalities, not falsehoods. Stereotypes themselves are not the problem – it’s when we use them to negatively judge and make incorrect assumptions about someone’s competence or advancement potential that causes problems. Of course, there are variations among men and women.

However, there is now sufficient scientific data from reputable sources (I have omitted most of them from this article to save space and time but they can be found in my book “GenderSmart: Solving the Communication Puzzle between Men and Women”) that erase the notion that they stem primarily from social conditioning.

When you think about it, doesn’t it make sense that if we are built differently, inside and outside, physically and genetically, that we would communicate differently as well? Business reports are published practically daily now, underscoring the importance of focusing on the needs of specific demographic and gender groups as they are essential to fundamental business growth. Communication differences are one critical and pervasive aspect of these gender needs!

The scientific and medical communities have discovered that every physiological system in the human body varies between men and women. Every single organ system of their bodies is different, including the brain, heart, gut – even the skin! Also studies show that diseases will manifest differently in men and women and the same treatment for them will yield different results.

An intriguing study identified the genetic difference between men and women at about 1 percent. Comparatively, the genetic makeup of chimpanzees and humans differs by only 1.5 percent. So, women and men differ genetically almost as much as humans differ from chimpanzees!

Evidence now shows that hormones wire the minds of men and women to see the world differently. Andrew Sullivan wrote in “Why Do Men Act The Way They Do?” that “Men and women differ biologically mainly because men produce some 10 times as much testosterone as most women do, and because this chemical profoundly affects physique, behavior, and mood.” He reports that testosterone’s effects start early. Men experience a flood of this hormone three times: in the uterus a few weeks after conception, during the first few months after birth, and again at puberty. (Many experts now claim than men have 10-100 times more testosterone than women.)

This correlates to the fact that men have 2.5 times the brain space devoted to sex, as well as larger centers for action and aggression. In women, the control center for anger and aggression is larger, not the center itself, so it’s generally easier to anger a man. (The control center and the anger center are two different areas in the brain).

Right from birth men and women differ profoundly in how they hear, see and respond to stress. For example women have 400% more neurons than men in the brain centers for language and hearing. Although researchers have long agreed that girls have superior language abilities than boys, it wasn’t until 2008 that their findings showed both areas of the brain associated with language work harder in girls than in boys during language tasks, and that boys and girls rely on different parts of the brain when performing them.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Daniel Peters said the reason for the contrast in English test scores between boys (lower scores) and girls has to do with brain development. Girls have larger hippocampuses, the part of the brain that aids in learning and, in particular, language arts. Girls also use more cortical areas of the brain for verbal and emotional functioning. Conversely, boys use more cortical areas dedicated to spatial and mechanical functioning. The result girls are better wired for language skills than boys, which can explain why men are notorious for not being able to express their feelings or even themselves.

A larger corpus callosum, which is the connective tissue between the right and left hemispheres of the brain, and a larger portion of the brain dealing with emotions, are thought by some researchers to give women a leg up on relationship-building and communication skills. Of course, just as women can compete successfully in math and science, men can improve their skills in these verbal/intuitive areas with study and practice.

Women were (and generally still are, to a large extent, although increasing numbers of men are getting more involved with their children every day, to everyone’s benefit) responsible for raising children. It takes not only nurturing relationships and communication to do that, but also attention to detail, intuition, and more connection with emotion. That larger corpus callosum, the connective tissue, allows for more whole-brain thinking, integration of both the right and left sides of the brain.
Another study indicated that motherhood may make women smarter – perhaps permanently – as hormones released during pregnancy and nursing dramatically enrich parts of the brain involved in learning and memory. As new mothers, intelligence and resourcefulness would be very valuable for the sake of children’s health and survival.

Emotions are controlled in the cerebral cortex, which also helps explain why women generally feel and express emotion more readily, more visually and more verbally, than men. Physiologically, men cannot access their feelings and emotions as easily as women can. The difference in visible expression of emotion is one of the biggest trouble spots between men and women.

A study conducted by a team of psychologists using brain scans discovered that women’s brains are better organized to perceive and remember emotions. These findings support the “myths” that women remember arguments longer, hold grudges, and are more susceptible to clinical depression, as dwelling on and reviewing memories is a risk factor in depression.

Brain areas responsible for emotions, memory and tracking gut feelings are larger and more sensitive in women. Who knew? Biology explains women’s intuition. Most emotions in men trigger rational thought, not so much gut sensation. Also pain areas in women’s brains are visibly activated when they see or are told that other people are in pain. Men’s brains do not respond the same way.

A recent study at Newcastle University in England revealed that scientifically, women prefer pink and reddish hues. Men? You guessed it...blues and greens.

These are only some of the biological differences between men and women. We are different! And that’s a good thing. All we need to do is to become aware of the resulting communication differences and learn how to work with them more effectively.

Jane Sanders, president of GenderSmart Solutions, is a consultant, speaker, trainer, facilitator, and coach on gender issues and communication. She offers services in the areas of recruiting and retention of women, authentic leadership confidence, strategic life planning, gender communication, presentation skills, and facilitation. She is author of “GenderSmart: Solving The Communication Puzzle Between Men and Women”, available on her website. Reach Jane toll-free at 877-343-2150; jane@janesanders.com; www.janesanders.com.

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© 2004 Jane Sanders, Empowerment Enterprises