Are women or men more intelligent?
In a previous article we asked ourselves about the psychological differences between men and women. Today we question ourselves, without taboos or ambiguities, which one is smarter .
Are women or men more intelligent?
Much has been said about this topic, and in this article we have proposed to shed some light on a controversy full of clichés. Are men or women more intelligent?
Are women more able to manage several tasks at once, but less to read a map? Without a doubt, men and women have different ways of behaving. A good amount of theories have been proposed to discriminate the differences between sexes . These differences are often discussed based on brain dissimilarity; Here we offer a summary of these factors.
The human brain contains between 10 and 15 billion nerve cells called neurons, and a trillion synapses, which are the connectors between neurons. However, the brain functions in a way that is still unknown to medical science, and therefore it is difficult to pinpoint how relevant are the physical differences between humans or how much they contribute to their behavior.
The brain: small differences
Women have a brain slightly smaller than men (on average, about 100 grams lighter). However, it is already known that size is not everything. Elephants, for example, have a much larger brain than humans, but as far as is known, nobody suggests that they can have a greater intelligence. And although the female brain weighs a little less than the male brain, both genders have a similar ratio of brain weight to body weight .
Women have 4% fewer brain cells than men, which does not mean they use less brain power.
Another important difference is in the frontal lobe. This is responsible for making judgments, predictions, planning future actions and language. Women have a greater number of cells than men in this region.
The cerebral hemispheres
It is often said that the cerebral hemispheres have their functions clearly differentiated. The left hemisphere is responsible for the analytical processing of data, while the right hemisphere operates in a holistic manner , encompassing judgments with emotions. Men usually have brains with dominance of the left hemisphere; however, women use both hemispheres in a more balanced way.
The corpus callosum transmits information to both hemispheres. Women have a larger corpus callosum than men, which may explain why women score better on tests that assess thinking and speaking speed.
The limbic system affects our emotions and tends to be greater in women. Likewise, the greater capacity of information transmission of the female brain between the two hemispheres makes women more emotionally sensitive. The larger limbic system also means that they feel negative emotions more acutely, and that is why they have a higher risk of depression.
Gray matter and white matter
The processing of information is carried out in the gray matter. White matter is responsible for connecting different parts of the brain, making it easier to perform various tasks. Women have more white matter than men, while men have more gray matter . Smart, each in his own way.
The hypothalamus controls the endocrine system, which produces the majority of hormones in the body. It regulates important functions such as sexual, sleep, body temperature ... In men, the hypothalamus is almost twice as large, and contains twice as many cells as the female hypothalamus.
