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New Scientific Research on Men's and Women's Brains 
 
by Michael Gurian
 
Summary of this article
 
Michael Gurian has written a whole book on new scientific discoveries of the differences between men's brains and women's brains. Here are some of his key points.
 
Jim 
New Scientific Research on Men's and Women's Brains

By Michael Gurian

What woman hasn't pondered the mysteries of the male brain and asked at least a few of these questions (and probably many, many more)... ?

Why must he hog the remote control? 
Why won't he ask for directions? 
Why doesn't he call? 
Why doesn't he notice the mess in the house? 
Experts in a new field of human study called gender biology are starting to come up with the answers... and it truly might be that "men can't help it."

Gender biology uses hard science (neurology, biology, chemistry, etc.), soft science (psychology, sociology, etc.) and lots of personal anecdotes to explain just why men and women think so differently.

In his new book, What Could He Be Thinking? How a Man's Mind Really Works (St. Martin's), author Michael Gurian "discusses how the male brain differs from the female brain... and how male biology affects men's thinking."

According to Gurian, male brains are differentiated from female brains long before birth, when the developing male brain is bombarded with testosterone, which helps direct its growth.

Although male and female brains each have 100 billion neurons, there are legions of differences.

A man's corpus callosum (the bundle of nerves that connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain) is about 25% smaller than a woman's. With less communication between the brain's hemispheres, the male brain is less likely to move a feeling or thought from the right side -- where it is experienced -- to the left, where it could be talked about or communicated. 

The brain's amygdala -- an area which handles emotions and aggressive impulses -- is larger in men than in women and has less of a link to other parts of the brain that regulate emotions. Men are more likely to choose a physically aggressive response to a situation, and less likely to respond with tender feelings or conversation. 

The brain's hippocampus, or memory center, is smaller in men than in women, which may be why women tend to be better at remembering all those minute details of events large and small. 

Men produce less oxytocin, a neurotransmitter linked to cuddling and caretaking. 

Men have more of the brain chemical vasopressin, which is associated with territoriality, hierarchy, competition and persistence. 

All of these differences help explain why men tend to behave more impulsively -- act first, talk or think later... why they are more "spatial" than "verbal"... why men like to relax with other men by playing sports or watching sports, while women relax with other women by talking.

Before women despair at ever getting the men in their lives to change and "be more intimate," Gurian is quick to say that these male/female differences actually are good for love and relationships. "If nature has set things up this way, let's figure out why," says Gurian.
 
"Nature has given us female brains that tend more toward emotive talk, processing emotions and sensory experiences, thoughts of constant intimacy and marriage. If Nature was saying the easy way for the species to survive was to make men the same way, then why didn't that happen?"

"The male brain brings more independence, a greater sense of individuality and less malleability. For a relationship or marriage to be successful, you need both the male and female brains." In other words, you need the dynamic of a woman striving for intimacy, while a man urges more independence.

"What we do is compromise, end up with a blend, the best of both brains. If you work that out well, you end up with a good marriage," says Gurian, who calls this successful philosophy, "intimate separateness."

"My wife and I practice intimate separateness," he continues. "She gets some emotional sustenance from me, but probably twice as much from her female friends. If you want a marriage to last, it's important to have a community, and not rely on your spouse for everything. Men will disappoint women and women will irritate men -- not from any negative desire or intent, but just because they're different."

Gurian is careful to explain that he is not stereotyping individuals but rather discussing "biological trends." Plenty of men, for instance, can discuss their feelings comfortably, and have brains which look somewhat physically female. Gurian calls these "bridge brains" -- male brains with certain female characteristics. This has absolutely nothing to do with sexuality, he is careful to add. "Bridge brains" are generally heterosexual, although not in a macho way.

"Diversity is key," asserts Gurian. "There are three billion males on this earth... and three billion different ways to be a male. But even with those differences, there are certain traits that are inherently male." If this research is true, which it seems to be, then men and women need to learn to accept and appreciate the differences to find the most happiness together.
_____________________________________________________
 
 
God bless your marriage and family.
 
Jim Stephens
 

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