Myth busting – are male and female brains different?
The idea that there are male and female brains, with these sex differences accounting for a whole range of things from women struggling with map reading to men not being able to read emotions, seems to be widely accepted, but is not supported by science.[1]
Myth: Male and female brains are different.
Fact: A review of research found that the only significant difference between male and female human brains was size, with male brains being larger.
Larger brains aren’t about brain function, simply that males generally have larger bodies than females – larger bodies need larger brains.[2]
Why do so many of us believe this myth?
Gina Rippon, a researcher in cognitive neuroscience, points out that beliefs about differences between male and female brains have been around for a long time (since the eighteenth or nineteenth century) and existed before scientists had ways of looking at brain activity. This means stereotypes about capabilities and characteristics have been solidified over hundreds of years, leading to us interpreting what we see through this understanding.
This means results from research that support differences would be more likely to be published, and scientists might start their interpretation from this stereotypical understanding of sex differences, so might not even look at testing these ideas in research.[1]
Even when scientists began to use brain imaging techniques, findings were misrepresented in popular science books and the media, with illustrations of brain activity being used without a detailed explanation.[1]
So, what’s changed?
As researchers understand more about our brains, the way brain images are interpreted has changed. Neuroscientists now look much more at activity and connections between parts of the brain than at particular brain regions, or the size of an area of the brain.
We know our brains are more proactive than was once thought – our brains are active and making predictions about likely outcomes all the time.
This leads us to the idea of self-fulfilling prophecies, so as our brain makes a best guess about a likely outcome, some of this is based not on fact but on generalisation or stereotypes.
Your baby’s interests are based on experience, rather than gender
We know that babies begin to differentiate between male and female faces at around three months[3] and by 10 months they link certain objects with either a male or female face.[4] So, your baby is already beginning to use their experience to make predictions based on people’s sex.
Rather than girls being born more interested in dolls, or boys more interested in Lego or cars – they are developing their interests based on their experiences.
As Gina Ripon puts it, “Brains reflect the lives they have lived, not just the sex of their owners.”[1: xviii]
A couple of things to think about
How do you play with your baby?
Studies suggest people are more likely to talk to a baby if they think it’s a girl, and play physical games if they think it’s a boy. All babies benefit from regular time to chat and from appropriate physical play, so make sure your baby gets a variety of experiences (the app activities will help with that, offering a wide variety of ideas!)
The words you use
We all live in a world where there are certain characteristics or qualities linked to a person’s sex, so we might find ourselves inadvertently reinforcing stereotypes. Simply pausing every now and then and thinking, would I say the same if my baby was a boy/girl might help you to notice this – for example, do you more often comment on your daughter's appearance or on your son’s strength?
Your baby’s toys
Give your baby a variety of toys, and play together with them. Try to avoid only offering dolls to girls, or trucks to boys, for example.
Stories and books
Make sure books and stories show people taking non-stereotypical roles; your baby will be refining their understanding of people all the time, so giving them a wide range of examples now and in the future is important.
References:
[1] Rippon, G. (2019). The Gendered Brain. The New Neuroscience that Shatters the Myth of the Female Brain. London: Vintage.
[2] Eliot, L., Ahmed, A., Khan, H. & Patel, J. (2021) ‘Dump the “dimorphism”: Comprehensive synthesis of human brain studies reveals few male-female differences beyond size’. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. 125. Pp 667-697.
[3] Quinn, P.C., Yahr, J., Kuhn, A., Slater, A.M., Pascalils, O. (2002). Representation of the gender of human faces by infants: a preference for female. Perception, 31(9):1109-21.
[4] Levy, G.D., & Haaf R.A. (1994). Detection of gender-related categories by 10-month-old infants. Infant Behavioral. Development, 17:457– 59.