Posted on 02/11/2005 6:20:56 AM PST by presidio9
BOYS may be outperformed by girls at school but there is a glimmer of hope for them. Researchers claim to have found scientific proof that men can think faster than women.
Their study found that men's brain cells could transmit nerve impulses faster than women's – potentially giving males the intellectual edge.
The claim will add fuel to the debate recently triggered by Larry Summers, the president of Harvard University, who challenged the prevailing wisdom when he suggested women were innately less able than men in subjects such as maths and science.
The new study is likely to prompt similar anger. This weekend, the intellectual credentials of the researchers – all male – were themselves already being challenged by other eminent neurologists. In the study, scientists measured nerve conduction velocity, the speed at which messages passed through and between brain cells.
Other studies have suggested the speed of such impulses is linked to intelligence, drawing parallels with computers, where faster processors result in more power to carry out tasks quickly.
The latest paper, to be published shortly in the academic journal Intelligence, will say: "Males had four faster NCVs than females. This very significant sex difference in all test conditions in favour of males was most unexpected."
Under the research, scientists carried out investigations on 186 male and 201 female Canadian students, who were subjected to a battery of cognitive tests to assess their intelligence and other mental skills.
Researchers also measured the length of their subjects' heads to estimate the distance impulses would have to travel from the eye to the primary visual cortex, which interprets what someone is seeing.
Then they used electrodes to measure how long it took for an image flashed in front of the eye to send an impulse back to the visual cortex.
Professor Edward Reed, a zoologist at Toronto University, and Philip Vernon and Andrew Johnson, psychologists at the University of Western Ontario, found the impulses were speeding through men's brains faster than through women's. They suggest this is because the nerves in men's brains have a slightly thicker coating of myelin, a fatty material which protects the nerves and improves conductivity.
The report concludes: "We find that males have four faster NCVs than females with each of the three test conditions, probably due to their faster increase of white matter in the brain during adolescence."
The researchers appear to have realised only recently that such conclusions could prove political and controversial. This weekend all three were refusing to comment on their findings although Vernon said he would consider replying to emails.
It has long been clear that men's and women's brains do have important differences and each tends to perform certain tasks slightly better than the other. For example, some studies suggest men have better spatial skills, while women may be more emotionally aware and verbally fluent.
However, most experts point out that the differences are small compared with the similarities and that there is far more variation between individuals than genders.
Bruce Burns, assistant professor in the department of psychology at Michigan State University, conducted a study of chess players, suggesting those who were quicker thinkers were likely to make better moves.
He said: "There is controversy about sex difference but there seems to be a fair amount of agreement that men do tend to have better visual spatial skills. However, I am not sure we can say that makes them more intelligent."
Desmond Morris, the social anthropologist and zoologist, said evolutionary pressures were likely to have given men and women slightly different skills. "Perhaps men's better visual responses came from having to hunt animals while women developed personal skills from child-rearing and co-operating to grow or gather plants," he said.
However, others reject such simple analyses, comparing the methods of the Canadian research to phrenology, a discredited Victorian science which attempted to link intelligence, creativity and other mental faculties to the size and shape of people's skulls.
Professor Steven Rose, director of the brain and behaviour research group at Britain's Open University, said previous studies suggested no difference in decision-making between men and women. "It is true that men and women use different parts of the brain for similar tasks but the time taken to complete the tasks is identical."
Bea Campbell, the feminist writer and historian, also questioned the findings. "The distribution of intelligence is much the same for all genders and all races," she said. "Our experience and common sense tells us that the quest to prove one or another biological group is brainier than the other is really a vain exercise."
IN case you need clarification, and I think it's obvious that you do, I am a male.
Men and Women are not same, it is women lib freaks that try to claim that women can do everything men can do (just as well). We are both wonderfully made to compliment each other. Why all the bickering over who can do what. I love the differences and more women should embrace who they are and were made to be. Men should also be REAL MEN. The women libs have created a whole generation of "milquetoast"
Leonardo da Vinci. Isaac Newton. Albert Einstein. Rene Descartes. Blaise Pascal. Richard Feynman. J.S Bach. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Edmund Burke. Thomas Jefferson. Just to name a few.
Female equivalents, Ms. Campbell? ;)
It's already been well established that even if there isn't much difference in average intelligence distribution between men and women, men are far more likely to be found at the extremes of the spectrum. More male geniuses than female - but also more male idiots than female. So Ms. Campbell is telling the truth, but missing the point.
I'm with you on this one, but it could be that women just don't have as much experience at 'whipping it out' as men do. :o)
I think woman are more into savoring the experience of consuming. Whether it picking and paying for supermarket items or picking what dang soup they want at a salad bar. Getting the maximum mileage of what men view as something to take care of quickly and efficiently.
I hate shopping. I like to buy my stuff on the internet. The only time I walk around mindlessly is in Best Buy, Home Depot, and Border's.
Why do you say men are more intelligent on average? My understanding is that while the average intelligence is approximately the same for both men and women, there are more very intelligent men and very stupid men than there are very intelligent women and very stupid women. While the average is the same, men populate the extremes to a greater extent.
Yeah, fortunately for the fairer sex, having to take a break from whatever we're thinking about every six seconds to fantasize about sex slows us down enough to keep women competative. B^)
I just wonder many exceptions are needed before it can no longer be said that there's a rule.....
My big issue with all of these brain studies is that they cause gross generalizations out in the non-scientific populace that end up unnecessarily discouraging people from trying things. It doesn't mean I think we shouldn't study it, just that people need to take these for what they're worth.
What you do with what you've got is more important than what you're issued in all cases, men or women. No sense having a fast brain if you don't use it :lol:.
And I'd rather see everyone judged on their individual merits rather than some "women are this, men are that" standard that may not apply in their case, particularly in the workplace.
I was always good in math and science (am a system administrator now) and if I had a dime for the number of times I was told I couldn't or shouldn't do something technical because I was a girl I could retire now. I didn't let it stop me, but I wonder how many other less stubborn girls let it stop them, which is a shame.
Same goes for men - I wonder how many men who would've been great in a "women's" field such as teaching or nursing were discouraged from going there because they weren't the right gender.
LQ
When she's talking on the phone with a friend, interrupt every five minutes or so and when she gets annoyed, ask her how it feels to have the shoe on the other foot.
Tried that once already. She politely reminded me that she is a better shot with the pistol than I am and went back to talking. :)
(God I love that woman!)
A couple of my sisters are guilty of that behavior, but I take after my bros in the shopping department. Get what you need, pay for it and leave. But this could be a quote from my sisters: "Hmmm...I can't make up my mind whether or not I'm indecisive."
I used to wander around Best Buy's computer section, which I consider to be pretty darn good. At least where I am. But that was back when I was new to computers, I don't now because the thrill is gone.
Home Depot, every one has to wander around to find what the items they need. Borders is OK for reading computer magazines
I walked around Best Buy pondering a portable satellite radio or an ipod. After three hours, and two returns, the ipod won. Borders is the worst though.
LOL
Everything is your fault.
Get used to it.
;-)
No . . . they just don't care.
;-D
Yes, particularly when you guys incur our wrath.
So, look out!
I'm having way too much fun with this thread...
The weaker sex is the stronger sex because of the weakness of the stronger sex for the weaker sex.
"Quickness is not an intellectual edge."You may be right LB,but it(the study)does infer that there r differences between male+female brain structure and therefore brain function.One of the main tenents of feminism is that differences between males and females(math aptitude,occupation selection,violence,etc)are due to cultural conditioning,sexual discrimination,and not any inherent biological differences between the sexes.I don't see it as one sex being smarter than the other.IMO males+females compliment one another.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.