Are women more emotional than men?

[Hobbitgirl]

I think both are equally emotional. Just shown in different ways. Also society encourages women to show it more.

[Agnostic Shane]

(16-03-2016 10:38 AM)Tomasia Wrote:  

(16-03-2016 09:37 AM)Agnostic Shane Wrote:  My question is:

Are women more emotional than men?
If they more emotional than men, how do they show it?

It depends on what you mean by emotional. There's a variety of studies indicating the woman tend to be more empathic than men. That when women when hearing about their friends in distress they feel their pain, while men tend to feel it briefly and than infer the rest through rationalization.

But this is not an absolute, just a tendency more predominant in woman overall, than men. There still will be plenty of men that defy this generalization.

"Some research suggests women’s brains are more likely to signal empathy than men’s brains. A 1995 study in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology showed that women involuntarily imitate other peoples’ emotional expressions more than men—a behavior thought to reflect increased activity of “mirror neurons,” cells in the brain that activate both when someone performs an action and when he or she sees someone else perform that same action. Still, no research has compared the frequency or intensity of mirror neuron activity between the sexes.

Other studies have suggested that rational thought trumps empathy in men’s brains more than in women’s brains. For instance, a 2003 article in the journal Neuroreport found that when women were asked to identify other people’s emotions, their brain activity indicated they were truly feeling the emotions they saw. Men, by contrast, showed activity in brain regions associated with rational analysis, indicating they were just identifying the emotions and considering whether they’d seen them before—a more objective position."

http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/...c_than_men

I think I am missing an adjective in the question then.
What I'm talking about is heightened emotional reaction as opposed to none heightened emotional reaction.
It happens to women more often than men from what I have observed.
I believe it has to do more to do with classification by estrogen/testosterone levels rather than classification by gender.

I think a man with the same amount of estrogen/testosterone levels as a women will have the tendency to react in a similar emotional manner.

Does anyone have any research on what estrogen & testosterone does to the human behaviour?

I believe there are certain emotions which can be attributed to estrogen levels and certain emotions that can be attributed to testosterone levels.

I think the article you posted has done a good job at showing that men, in general, are less prone to empathy when given an opposing rational explanation.
An example of this might be a homeless child begging for food. A woman might be more inclined to give than a man.

[Tomasia]

(16-03-2016 11:14 AM)Agnostic Shane Wrote:  

(16-03-2016 10:38 AM)Tomasia Wrote:  It depends on what you mean by emotional. There's a variety of studies indicating the woman tend to be more empathic than men. That when women when hearing about their friends in distress they feel their pain, while men tend to feel it briefly and than infer the rest through rationalization.

But this is not an absolute, just a tendency more predominant in woman overall, than men. There still will be plenty of men that defy this generalization.

"Some research suggests women’s brains are more likely to signal empathy than men’s brains. A 1995 study in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology showed that women involuntarily imitate other peoples’ emotional expressions more than men—a behavior thought to reflect increased activity of “mirror neurons,” cells in the brain that activate both when someone performs an action and when he or she sees someone else perform that same action. Still, no research has compared the frequency or intensity of mirror neuron activity between the sexes.

Other studies have suggested that rational thought trumps empathy in men’s brains more than in women’s brains. For instance, a 2003 article in the journal Neuroreport found that when women were asked to identify other people’s emotions, their brain activity indicated they were truly feeling the emotions they saw. Men, by contrast, showed activity in brain regions associated with rational analysis, indicating they were just identifying the emotions and considering whether they’d seen them before—a more objective position."

http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/...c_than_men

I think I am missing an adjective in the question then.
What I'm talking about is heightened emotional reaction as opposed to none heightened emotional reaction.
It happens to women more often than men from what I have observed.
I believe it has to do more to do with classification by estrogen/testosterone levels rather than classification by gender.

I think a man with the same amount of estrogen/testosterone levels as a women will have the tendency to react in a similar emotional manner.

Does anyone have any research on what estrogen & testosterone does to the human behaviour?

I believe their are certain emotions which can be attributed to estrogen levels and certain emotions that can be attributed to testosterone levels.

Can you provide some examples of what you mean by a heightened emotional response.

Like the heightened emotional response when watching videos of puppies, by different sexes? The heightened emotional response when watching someone in pain?

The heightened emotional response when eating a good piece of chocolate cake? When having an orgasm?

[Agnostic Shane]

(16-03-2016 11:17 AM)Tomasia Wrote:  

(16-03-2016 11:14 AM)Agnostic Shane Wrote:  I think I am missing an adjective in the question then.
What I'm talking about is heightened emotional reaction as opposed to none heightened emotional reaction.
It happens to women more often than men from what I have observed.
I believe it has to do more to do with classification by estrogen/testosterone levels rather than classification by gender.

I think a man with the same amount of estrogen/testosterone levels as a women will have the tendency to react in a similar emotional manner.

Does anyone have any research on what estrogen & testosterone does to the human behaviour?

I believe their are certain emotions which can be attributed to estrogen levels and certain emotions that can be attributed to testosterone levels.

Can you provide some examples of what you mean by a heightened emotional response.

Like the heightened emotional response when watching videos of puppies, by different sexes? The heightened emotional response when watching someone in pain?

The heightened emotional response when eating a good piece of chocolate cake? When having an orgasm?

I don't have any research before me to prove my suspicion but both genders would be prone to Certain heightened emotional responses based on which hormone is dominant at the time estrogen or testosterone.
Hypothethetical example.
In a situation where my son was running and fell down and damaged his knee in the house I would be more angry (probably shouting) at this than his mom who would run go to pick him up and comfort him while crying for him.
They are both heightened emotions from being in a state of little or no emotions a few minutes before.
It's quite possible to be sad and angry at the same time, but not quite common I think.

My question would have been better asked like this:

Are women prone to be more emotional than men with regards to specific types of emotions?
What are the emotions that women are more prone to than men?

[carol]

I really dislike questions like this- because the way that people behave is based upon so many things, and unless the answer is backed by science ( peer reviewed statisticaly significant studies- lots and lots of studies) then the question is meaningless- women are, like men are very complex and influenced by cultural norms... The only way to really learn is
science...


However- I love neurobio, and I do enjoy the little studies out there and would be happy to grab some and gab about them.

However- please keep in mind that a lot of these so called "studies" usually are of small samples- usually about 30 women/30 men , and are fledgling new ideas to look into at best- because neurological biology is new science. This thread with posted studies will only give tiny little glimpses into a future amount of information. Very new science starts with studies that may be flawed and need peer review,statistical significance and lots of other studies before anyone with any credibiity would consider them as significant.

I really doubt, Shane, that the studies, although they may be well done would constitute more than a glimpse into the neuro bio of women and men. It is simply too new a science, and the studies are usually of such a small group of people.

[Momsurroundedbyboys]

For shits and giggles I asked my husband.

He said, "yes, you are more emotional than I am."

However he did admit that I'm not quick to anger -- but I think I learned that from him.

Also he pointed out, how I am or how he is, doesn't generally apply to all men and women.

[Gilgamesh]

I have observed, over the years, that rustling the jimmies of women is initially far easier; but also once you have done so, the rustling of mens jimmies is quick to follow suit.

[DLJ]

(16-03-2016 10:15 AM)dancefortwo Wrote:  ...
I donno. Women have been accused of being too emotional to be the leader of a country and numerous other things.
...

Well, quite.

[Tomasia]

(16-03-2016 11:26 AM)Agnostic Shane Wrote:  

(16-03-2016 11:17 AM)Tomasia Wrote:  Can you provide some examples of what you mean by a heightened emotional response.

Like the heightened emotional response when watching videos of puppies, by different sexes? The heightened emotional response when watching someone in pain?

The heightened emotional response when eating a good piece of chocolate cake? When having an orgasm?

I don't have any research before me to prove my suspicion but both genders would be prone to Certain heightened emotional responses based on which hormone is dominant at the time estrogen or testosterone.
Hypothethetical example.
In a situation where my son was running and fell down and damaged his knee in the house I would be more angry (probably shouting) at this than his mom who would run go to pick him up and comfort him while crying for him.
They are both heightened emotions from being in a state of little or no emotions a few minutes before.
It's quite possible to be sad and angry at the same time, but not quite common I think.

My question would have been better asked like this:

Are women prone to be more emotional than men with regards to specific types of emotions?
What are the emotions that women are more prone to than men?

I think your example doesn't suggest that either of you are any more emotional than the other, but that the event triggered a different set of emotions. You wife felt an immediate sense of concern for your son's well being, for his pain, while you on the other appeared irritated, and angry about the situation. I guess you'd have to ask yourself why that is, and I don't think the answer here is because you're a guy, and that's how guys tend to react.

Why did it make you angry, was it because he was so careless, the fact that you might have to take time out to go to the hospital, etc....?

Are men more prone to anger than woman, I don't know perhaps. But I don't the arc of the differences between your wife's reactions and yours here can be attributed to differences in gender, but perhaps a series of environmental factors.

[carol]

(16-03-2016 12:41 PM)DLJ Wrote:  

(16-03-2016 10:15 AM)dancefortwo Wrote:  ...
I donno. Women have been accused of being too emotional to be the leader of a country and numerous other things.
...

Well, quite.

I like kittens, so cute and fluffy...