At least one couple in the US becomes divorced every 10 to 13 seconds. Looking at divorce trends over the past several decades, social scholars project 40 – 50% of first time marriages will end in divorce. That’s a social fact. Males are five times as likely to develop autism than females. Females are twice as likely to develop depression than males. Those are medical facts. Communication, feelings, perception, reactions, and needs are expressed differently between the sexes. So are motivations and reactions to stress. If varying behaviors between the sexes are “effects” what are the “causes” that account for the variances? And if these causes are better understood, might we be able to more effectively treat significant social and medical problems?

Hardwiring – Brain scans performed on 949 individuals showed that on average, male brains connect more often “front to back” or “within hemispheres”. This type of wiring optimizes motor skills. Female brains, on the other hand, are wired more often “left to right” or “between hemispheres” which optimizes intuitive and analytical skills. However, the cerebellum which facilitates muscle movement was found to be the opposite for men meaning this part of the male brain is wired “between hemispheres.”

According to Ragini Verma, associate professor of radiology at the University of Pennsylvania medical school where the research was conducted, we should be careful not to make sweeping generalizations about men and women. “Every individual could have part of both men and women in them.” Verma says that it is fascinating to see the functional differences in men and women expressed structurally. However, the questions remain, do these structural differences result in different brain function? Or do the differences in function result in structural differences?
Sex Hormones and Genes – We are all familiar with the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone and the effects these hormones have on emotions, behavior and sex drive. Now researchers at the University of California San Francisco have identified genes that are influenced by sex hormones and drive specific male-female behavior. The research identified 16 genes that were expressed differently in the hypothalamus of men and women.

Through drug therapy and gene manipulation in mice, these researchers were able to separate male-female hormone driven behaviors into individual elements with each element being controlled by its assigned gene. For example, researchers were able to selectively turn off a gene in male mice to affect mating with females but not affect fighting or marking territory. Another gene was turned off in females causing them to maintain sexual interest but spend less time tending to their pups. Researchers expect to identify other sex hormone affected genes that affect specific and differing behaviors in males and females.

Social and Environmental Influences – Noam Shpancer, Ph.D. counters the gene theory with the position that behavior is determined after genes are shaped by social and environmental influences. Shpancer contends that genes do not establish behaviors because genes represent potential. The social environment creates a path from potential to actual behavior. The example Shpancer uses is a male with a genetic predisposition to grow to 6 feet 4 inches. However, if the male is malnourished through social failing, the height potential is not reached. Further societal and cultural norms mould potential. In the context of male-female behavior, take a female, for example, in the late 1800’s. This female might have outstanding mathematical abilities and clearly have the potential to solve problems of science. However, if her parents deter her from her math interest and direct her to traditional roles such as wife and mother, her math potential will most likely never be fulfilled and her behavior will conform to social expectations.

Commonalities and Overlap – Most research on the subject of male-female psychology, brain structure, behavior etc. is quick to point out that commonalities outweigh differences. Male-ish or female-ish tendencies emerge from averages, not individuals. A study at the Tel Aviv University in 2015 found that when comparing male-female brains, only 6 in every 100 of brains studied were consistently single sex. The remainder? “A patchwork of masculine and feminine features that varied widely from person to person.” In the end, “human brains do not belong to one of two distinct categories…The majority of the brains (studied) were a mosaic of male and female structures.” Rubin Gur of Pennsylvania University remarks “It’s quite striking how complementary the brains of women and men really are.”

Alice Shepard, Ph.D. of Mirielle Therapy Practice specializes in helping early and mid-career stage women who are looking to make important changes in their lives. Issues that are at the core of ones’ identity can be so painful when they are not going well. Concerns about dating, love, friendships, work, family, loss, or health can generate intense feelings of sadness, worry, insecurity, and stress. At Mirielle Therapy practice, we specialize in Women and Relationships Therapy in NYC.