Does men and women have no psychological differences?

[KR]

Are the differneces between men and women only physical, or are there psychological differences too? Would it be sexist to state that there is? What if it was scientifically proven that there is?

[ВАЛТЕР]

It is fact that men and women do in fact use different hemispheres of the brain when approaching problems. Women are more detail oriented, verbal, and better at sorting information, as they utilize the left size of their brain more so than the right side. While men utilize the right side of their brain, which is more spatial intuitive and nonverbal. These are just effects from millions of years of evolution and don't really imply one side is somehow superior to the other. Men just may catch on quicker to physical tasks, while women may be better at interpreting language and sorting things mentally.

However, no side has a general advantage over the other when it comes to intelligence.

http://www.psychologyhelp.com/gend134.htm

[Lobotomy]

I have heard that men tend to be better at recognizing patterns while women tend to be better with language, but I don't have a source for that.

[ВАЛТЕР]

I have heard that men tend to be better at recognizing patterns while women tend to be better with language, but I don't have a source for that.

That goes along with the whole "left side-right side" thing.

From what I can tell it is most likely an evolutionary adaptation, since in ancient times men went out and hunted therefore they needed to be able to react in physical manners, judge distance, movements, etc.

While women stayed at the encampment with the children and therefore needed to communicate verbally between each other, more so than the men.

[Искра]

This is just bullshit :D

[manic expression]

This is just bullshit :D
How so?

[ВАЛТЕР]

This is just bullshit :D

How so? It is proven fact by psychologists.

[RedAnarchist]

Generally, they do, but there are men whose brains are more similar to women's and vice versa. Overall, I would say individual differences are greater than differences between people of different biological sexes.

[ВАЛТЕР]

Generally, they do, but there are men whose brains are more similar to women's and vice versa. Overall, I would say individual differences are greater than differences between people of different biological sexes.

Of course there are always exceptions, the studies just show this information based on large research samples.

[RedAnarchist]

Of course there are always exceptions, the studies just show this information based on large research samples.

Oh yeah. Studies like this can only give a picture of a population, rather than individuals.

[Firebrand]

The flaw with this is that people tend to use the parts of their brains they are expected to use. Boys are expected to be good at sport so they will be conditioned by society into using that part of the brain more and therefore finding it easier to use. Girls are expected to talk about their feelings and therefore will have exercised that part of their brains more and use it more easily. The brain is a very flexible organ that is very susceptible to environmental influences. These so caled differences in male and female brains could easily be the result of cultural expectations rather than any genetic or biological differences.

[RedAtheist]

We should be careful when it comes to saying that men and women are 'different but equal'. This is a mantra often employed by reactionaries.

I think we would all agree that the notion of women submitting to their husbands is backwards, but the oppressive nature of such a relationship is hidden through the abuse of the word 'equal'.

Take a look at this website for example. http://carm.org/apologetics/womens-issues/wifes-submission-her-husband-slavery It promotes the idea of women submitting to men, yet claims that they are of "equal value".

"God has created a relational structure in which the husband is the head (leader) of the wife. This has nothing to do with value for husband and wife are created in the image of God..." (Emphasis mine)

This view of women is not remotely progressive. It tries to disguise oppression and control through use of the words like 'love' and 'care'.

I think this lets us see where the view that men and women are equals but have 'different' roles is likely to lead. The traits typically ascribed to women are submissive traits (passivity, a desire to serve others, irrationality, etc.)The idea that women are good at communication rather than rational thinking could easily be used to say that women make good mothers and caregivers but would make stupid decisions if put in a position of power. It could also be used as an excuse for men to act like jerks. They could say 'I'm sorry that calling you a fag offended you, my male mind is too communication deficient to realise that blantly offensive terms might offend people' LOL

Even if there is some genetic difference between the two minds, that doesn't mean that these 'natural' differences should be promoted by society. To say so would be to commit a naturalistic fallacy. I think we should encourage everyone to have the positive traits of both genders. Women should learn how to think logically and problem solve, while men should learn how to communicate with women as though they are human beings and not objects.

[manic expression]

while men should learn how to communicate with women as though they are human beings and not objects.
Women treat men like objects all the time.

[Ostrinski]

Yeah those poor men. Social dominance must be rough.

[Blake's Baby]

...

From what I can tell it is most likely an evolutionary adaptation, since in ancient times men went out and hunted therefore they needed to be able to react in physical manners, judge distance, movements, etc.

While women stayed at the encampment with the children and therefore needed to communicate verbally between each other, more so than the men.

That's bullshit. There's no, and I mean NO, evidence that this ever happened. Historical Anthropology 101. There are some theories, which do not agree with each other, which attempt to explain how sexism is 'natural', but none of them have the slightest empirical evidence to support them.

See: 'man the hunter hypothesis' - very popular with centre-right academics in America in the 1950s (who were pretty much all male); 'woman the gatherer hypothesis' - popular with 'radical feminists' in the 1980s, until it was pointed out that it was exactly the same as 'man the hunter' except they proposed that early human populations probably gained more nutrition from gathered rather than hunted food; the 'females fuck for food hypothesis' (can't remember its proper name, based on the idea that successful male hunters had more sexual partners, can't imagine why a male academic would dream that one up); and the similar-but-different 'females fuck for bling hypothesis' (can't remember the proper name of that one either, based on the idea that craft skill - again, excercised by men - attract mates, also very popular among male archaeologists who can do nice illustrations). In all of these theories males are presented as active and dynamic, and females as passive, but in the 'feminist' version being active and dynamic is a waste of effort.

Honestly. It's all bullshit, horseshit, mooseshit and rhinoshit, and bordering on fascism.

There is no evidence of sexual division of labour in early human populations.

[manic expression]

Yeah those poor men. Social dominance must be rough.
Not as rough as people running away from facts they don't like.

[Os Cangaceiros]

We should be careful when it comes to saying that men and women are 'different but equal'. This is a mantra often employed by reactionaries.

But the statement is technically true, right? Women are different from men, even if we look at only the most superficial level. Men have a much higher testosterone level than women, for example.

[Os Cangaceiros]

Generally, they do, but there are men whose brains are more similar to women's and vice versa. Overall, I would say individual differences are greater than differences between people of different biological sexes.

But we're leftists! It's our job to draw sweeping conclusions about large groups of people without regard for individual nuance!