The Brains of Men and Women Aren't Really That Different, Study Finds (sciencemag.org)

sciencehabit writes: In the mid-19th century, researchers claimed they could tell the sex of an individual just by looking at their disembodied brain. But a new study (abstract) finds that human brains do not fit neatly into "male" and "female" categories. Indeed, all of our brains seem to share a patchwork of forms; some that are more common in males, others that are more common in females, and some that are common to both. The findings could change how scientists study the brain and even how society defines gender.

Comments

Whoop-de-doo

[Anonymous Coward]

So the researchers found out that human brains have human characteristics, with minute differences between the sexes (aka neural sexual dimorphism). I think only troglodytes thought that a male brain is completely unlike a female brain. Heck, we all probably have about as much in common with the great apes.

It's the small differences that make us distinct. To say that there is no overlap is to say that the shortest man is taller than the tallest woman (obviously not true).

Untrue according to the study

[gorim]

The study identified several regions of the brain that are "male" vs "female" in nature. Hence, there are variations in structures in those regions that do tend to dominate on one gender vs another. However, what the study found is that there is no one "combination" of such regions that statistically dominates to define a definite male or female brain, and that each individual person possesses variation between the two types.

Re:Untrue according to the study

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah this is spin. Slashdot went from being a site that loved hardcore science to one that now worships at the altar of political correctness, and this is super politically correct.

Another way of saying "the brains of men and women aren't really that different" is to say "the brains of men and women are different". But the latter will get you dirty looks from a lot of issue advocates.

Wait Science Said Otherwise...

[Anonymous Coward]

SCIENTISTS UNCOVER A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE SEXES
Sex does matter: key molecular process in brain is different in males and females

- See more at: http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2015/08/scientists-uncover-a-difference-between-the-sexes.html#sthash.kQJxCnEr.dpuf

Re:This is not in the least surprising

[Rei]

There've been lots of studies finding "psychological differences between the sexes". But when you look into them the statistical correlations are usually terribly weak, barely above statistical significance. And you have to question how much you can trust them anyway. Remember that metastudy that showed that half of all psychological studies can't be reproduced? I downloaded their study data. Every topic related to gender differences was in the "couldn't be reproduced" category. Now, of course that's a tiny fraction of all research that they attempted to reproduce. There surely are psychological differences, even ones that aren't pure upbringing/society related. But its important not to overplay the amount or degree of them.