Sex Differences

 During a class lecture this week, my classmates, professor, and I had the opportunity to review scientific research on sex differences between men and women. After having that sex difference discussion, it's pretty safe to say that this topic can be contentious depending on how you approach it, but the way my professor tackled it helped limit this outcome. As a part of our lecture, the class took an opportunity to reflect on and brainstorm about some of the challenges and benefits that can arise from male-female differences in family relationships. Here is some of what I learned from that conversation:

One of the first things I learned during our discussion is that feminine and masculine tendencies function on a spectrum. As a part of this concept, while some individuals identify as being highly feminine or masculine, many individuals are also more androgynous, displaying both feminine and masculine traits. In addition, highly feminine or masculine individuals tend to pull toward their opposite, while those who are more androgynous tend to draw to those who are also androgynous. By understanding the presence of these tendencies and how they work, it is easy to see that sex differences aren't as black and white as we have traditionally viewed them to be.

With this understanding that people are different and cannot be boxed into one category or another easily in mind, our class turned our discussion to another interesting point: differences in the brains of men and women. In multiple studies, researchers have seen that, in general, women have higher concentrations of white matter than men and that men have more grey matter in their brains than women. So, what does this mean exactly? Within the brain, white matter holds the role of connectivity, helping all of the brain's many parts to interact with one and aiding in the brain's communication with the rest of the body. On the flip side, grey matter deals with controlling movement, memory retainment, and emotion regulation. Due to their typically higher white matter levels, women tend to have greater attention and awareness, especially when it comes to making connections. In studies comparing male and female brain differences, researchers have found that, when placed in a room with a desk full of items, women are better at remembering objects because they view them in relationship to one another. In studies of women navigating locations by car, research has also shown that they determine how close they are to a spot based on their destinations proximity to identifiable landmarks. By comparison, men's higher grey matter levels contribute to their success in task-oriented projects and also explain the fact that they tend to process work and home life separately. During the navigational studies mentioned above, men have shown a great sense of spatial awareness. As a result, they determine how close they are to a location using their directional awareness. 

Outside of just structural differences, studies of female and male behavior patterns have also presented differences. For example, women tend to be more collaborative and verbally aggressive, while men tend to be more competitive and physically aggressive. While there are always exceptions, such as those mentioned earlier in this post, these differences account for many of the benefits and challenges associated with men and women working together, especially in family life. Looking at the challenges first, differences in behavioral patterns can contribute to relationship contention, especially as individuals struggle to see eye to eye because something that comes naturally to them isn't so simple for their opposite-sex companion. In addition, differences in the skills and abilities of opposite-sex relationship partners can lead to division over how to handle challenges or obstacles, creating friction. By comparison, one benefits of these differences include increased growth opportunities (differences between individuals can fuel the desire to learn skills ourselves). In addition, these differences can encourage more effective problem solving (as the multiple perspectives and skill sets help to address the issue from all sides). In closing, differences don't mean that one is better than the other or that all individuals fit into one box. However, by understanding these concepts, we can fuel greater understanding and collaboration between the sexes within family life and relationships.