BRAS & BRAWN:
Feature
THE MALE AND FEMALE PSYCHE Can't live with them, can't live without them. At some point you've probably entertained the idea of staying single; there'd be no one to nag you, or, conversely, to ignore you while continuing to play Call of Duty for what seems like the 12th hour. Everything was fine at first, so is your significant other intentionally trying to get under your skin? Well, not necessarily. Research dating back to the early 90's points to some clear differences between guys and gals, some of which are a byproduct of evolution (or devolution depending on your stance) and the previously unexplored functions of certain parts of the brain. So as much as we know about members of the opposite sex, there's still plenty we don't quite understand -- men are from Mars and women are from Venus after all.
VIDEO GAMES:
There's been a lot of talk over the years about the ways in which video games are ruining an entire generation of young males. This time consuming pastime is often used as a scapegoat for laziness or anti-social behavior, a sentiment popularized by psychologist and Stanford professor emeritus, Philip Zimbardo. But as it turns out, there's some science behind your boyfriend seeming unable to turn off his Xbox, the most prominent factor being a large release of dopamine in the brain. In 2008, the Standford University School of Medicine found that brain activity associated with reward and addiction was much higher in men while playing video games. And as it turns out, dopamine is also responsible for feelings of euphoria, motivation and pleasure so maybe it's not so bad after all.
BY XAVIER EDWARDS & RILEY CARITHERS PHOTOS BY JEREMY AARON DESIGN BY CASEY KSAU
THE STRONG SILENT TYPE: So there's this guy who doesn't say much -he dresses fairly well, doesn't fiddle in his desk and only speaks when called upon by a teacher. It's a bit strange, really, but there may be a reason for men exhibiting what's generally called a strong, silent type of behavior. As children, girls develop sophisticated language skills much faster than boys because they use an area of the brain specifically for language encoding and decoding. On the other hand, boys only use specific areas of the brain depending on if the information is conveyed orally or visually, which leads to slower linguistic development. This, combined with accepted gender roles, may explain why the guys in your life don't feel like talking much, especially when it comes to their feelings.
SEXUALITY: INFIDELITY:
As a general rule of thumb, you probably shouldn't cheat on your girlfriend, but where does this inkling for infidelity come from? Well, for certain males, it may boil down to genetics. A 2008 Swedish study found that the presence of a gene called Allele 334 can cause men to feel less attached to their partners because it interferes with parts of the brain that promote monogamy. And men with two or more copies of Allele 334 were that much more likely to cheat. Successful long-term relationships were certainly possible; however, men with this genetic variation reported feeling less attached to their partners, and women could sense this as well. That being said, I should stress that this explanation isn't going to save you when your girlfriend catches you cheating. Verify at your own risk.
Birds and bees the world over are doing it, but for some reason your partner only wants to show you some love after certain conditions are met. What gives? As a male, it's completely natural to think about sex more often than your female partner, regardless of her acting in a sexual manner towards you. There's even some science behind your staring at that pretty lady across the street, even when you know it'll send your lady over the edge. As it turns out, the hypothalamus, which is responsible for controlling body temperature, releasing hormones and controlling sexual behavior, is about twice as big in men as in women due to testosterone. Also, Stephan Hamann, a researcher at Emory University conducted a study that showed that the male amygdala, which processes emotions, was more responsive to sexual stimuli than the female amygdala. Indeed, it seems both a blessing and a curse.
gandbmagazine.com
2013 GARNET & BLACK | 27
GOSSIP:
INTUITON:
MEMORY:
Women talk. They talk about their day, clothes, feelings and well, just about every other person that walks by. Gossiping is an inevitable part of life, good or bad, and one that is more often committed by the fairer sex. But as history shows, gossiping has held a functional place in the way women navigate society.
Do you ever wonder how your girlfriend or mom can always tell when you’re in a bad mood? Whether you like it or not, you know they’ll repeatedly pester you with, “Is everything okay? Are you sure?” Often, your resounding, “I’m fine,” doesn’t get them to lay off but you need to know you can’t fault them; they are only acting on natural instincts.
When it comes to confrontation or being wronged, it seems that a woman never forgets. Dr. John Gray, author of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, sites research showing there may be a physiological explanation for why a female’s memory is, in fact, stronger than that of a male.
David Geary, professor of psychological sciences at the University of Missouri, suggests that this form of relational aggression actually helped women survive at one point in time. In tribal days, women were shuffled into a new tribe after marriage, and having strong language skills was helpful in adapting and settling into a new community. Research from scientists at Northwestern University supports a physiological relation between superior language and communication skills in females. In the days of sticks and stones, men may have had spears and weapons but women had their words.
28 | GARNET & BLACK 2013
gandbmagazine.com
Author Dr. Louann Brizendine suggests that a more active mirror-neuron system is responsible for females greater aptitude to empathize. In action, empathy is the ability to read facial responses and vocal intonation. It’s suggested this is a natural evolutionary trait that has evolved more strongly in women, stemming from the necessity for a mother to interact with and respond to their young children non-verbally. So in a way, women can read your mind; hence why they always expect you to read theirs.
The area of the brain that functions as the “memory center” (the hippocampus) is larger and more active in women than men. This area is specifically responsible for converting short-term memories into longterm memories – a good thing to remember for communicating in relationships. So ladies, cut your guy some slack next time he forgets your favorite latte order. And fellas, when your female counterpart brings up the time you bought the wrong laundry detergent three months ago, try to forgive her, she literally can’t help but remember.