From DNA and hormones to facial hair and anatomy, there are many differences that set men and women apart.
Through science and extensive studies over the years, we have been able to better grasp such variations, which have, at times, left us confused by the often-surprising results.
Below are five of these recent studies between females and males that got us thinking:
1. Women retain memory better than men
New research published in the journal of The North American Menopause Society has found that although middle-aged women’s memories do indeed decline as they enter postmenopause, their information-recalling abilities still remain superior to that of men’s.
Forgetfulness, or “brain fog”, are commonly experienced during the menopause transition. On top of that, women are disproportionately at risk of memory deficits and dementia compared to men, but, despite the odds, middle-aged women came out on top of males of the same age in every single recall test conducted in the study.
2. Men are better at resolving conflict
Turns out, us women are more likely to hold a grudge…
A new study out of Harvard University observed the behaviour of both male and female sportspeople in competition. While the researchers noted men to be more aggressive and combative on the field, court or ring, they were more likely to make peace with their competitors once the battle was won.
Once that final whistle blew, the males were quick to engage in friendly physical contacts, such as handshakes, pats on the back and even hugs, compared to the women who opted to skip niceties.
3. Women swear more than men
Forget ‘ladylike’, women are cussing just as much as men these days, if not more, according to new research from Lancaster University and Cambridge University Press.
Back in the 1990s, men would say the F-word 1,000 times for every million words said, while women only used it 167 times.
Fast forward to today, and women now use such a profanity 546 times per million words, which averages at six more times than today’s men! On top of that, ladies are ten times more likely to say s— than the study’s male counterparts.
“As equality drives on the idea that there is male and female language, that there are things which men and women should or should not say, is going to be eroded. Gentlemanly behaviour and ladylike language is becoming something of the past,” said Tony McEnery, a professor at Economic and Social Research Council.
This just in: women are less likely to “choke” in competition.
4. Male athletes are more likely to choke under the pressure
Apparently, women can handle the heat better than their male counterparts.
Recent research from Ben-Gurion University found that men “consistently choke under competitive pressure” compared to women who have mixed outcomes when a competition gets crucial.
“However, even if women show a drop in performance in the more crucial stages of the match, it is still about 50 percent less than that of men,” says Dr. Mosi Rosenboim of BGU’s Department of Management.
5. Women now drink just as much as men
A new global study from 68 international papers between 1891 and 2014 has found women to drink just as much as men. The findings, published in the journal BMJ Open explained how the gap between gender’s drinking habits is rapidly closing, particularly in women born in the last 15 to 20 years.
“Alcohol use and alcohol use disorders have historically been viewed as a male phenomenon,” say the researchers from the University of New South Wales. “The present study calls this assumption into question and suggests that young women, in particular, should be the target of concerted efforts to reduce the impact of substance use and related harms.”
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