Differences Between Men and Women

In terms of memory, women tend to recall memories that are associated with strong emotions. Women can easily recall events, information or experiences with common emotional content. Men recall tasks or experiences using strategies that are reconstructed in elements, tasks or activities. Experiences involving competition or physical activity are more easily recalled.

Physiological differences occur in men and women particularly in their capacity to exhibit sensitivity. Women have heightened physical alarm response to danger. Their automatic and sympathetic systems lower threshold for arousal.

Sensitivity enables human to form and maintain satisfying relationships. For men, a satisfying relationship is one that allows them to share activities while women prefer relationships that allow them to communicate and share experiences.

Men often complain that women are illogical and irrational. This could be attributed to the fact that men and women have different sizes of brain specifically in the limbic brain. The limbic brain is responsible for emotions. It is where emotional memories are stored. The emotional tone affects the person’s motivation, relationships and libido. During orgasm, the limbic brain has mini seizure which causes lesser deep limbic activity. Depression is caused by overactive limbic brain, lowering limbic brain’s activity could lead to emotional stability.

The woman’s limbic brain is bigger than a man’s. The limbic brain is the area filled with receptorcytes for estrogen which is a female hormone. This physical make-up of the limbic brain combined with estrogen makes the women highly emotional especially during puberty, monthly period and menopause.

In relationships between men and women, it is important to recognize these differences. Women tend to think and feel differently from men which should not be seen as an attempt to sabotage the relationship. If women tend to be emotional, it is because their physical make-up made them that way. And if women find men unfeeling, it is because that is what they are biologically capable of. Compromise should be at the heart of any relationship in order to make it successful.

References:

Conner, Michael. (2000). Understanding the difference between Men and Women. Retrieved September 22, 2007

http://www.oregoncounseling.org/ArticlesPapers/Documents/DifferencesMenWomen.htm

Vaughn, Susan. (2005). The differences between Men and Women. Retrieved September 22, 2007 http://www.umsonline.org/Reading/PastIssues/2003/Winter03-4/Articles/diffsmenwomen.htm