Are females generaly more complicated than males?

[Elect Marx]

I like the way the Nature-Science forum has come to be used and since this is a question of biology and or sociology, it belongs here, although sociology gets all around Che-Lives.

I have heard from different sources stating that women are often more psychologically complicated than men. Recently, I have been thinking of the implications of this widespread message and I would like to know how the people of Che-lives feel about the subject.

Are the behaviors or thought patterns of women generaly more diverse, structured or in-depth than those of men? If so, what is the cause; Nature or nurture? I personally know many people that are or are not examples for this idea. I am sure this matter has been studied in depth but I would like to know what views are held here, especially those of my comrades. I see a complicated persona as both a gift and a curse, as "variety is the spice of life," and having the ability to have a parallel understanding or complication is very useful. Yet complication can make one's life a difficult one and a simple life can be very productive in many ways, or taken advantage of. Though I still see how complex people can relate in many ways. Many pros and cons exist here. This is often given as a reason for some of the conflicts between men and women; still I know examples of people in the opposite roles.

Please write about the reasoning behind your vote.

[Pete]

Because guys are complex too, not more so than females, though that is the stereotype.

Edit: I voted 'no'

[Iron Star]

It is possible. The male and female brains are structured differently.

http://www.brainplace.com/bp/malefemaledif/default.asp

Cell numbers -- men have 4% more brain cells than women, and about 100 grams more of brain tissue. Many women have asked me why men need more brain tissue in order to get the same things done.

Cellular connections - even though a man seems to have more brain cells, it is reported that women have more dendritic connections between brain cells.

Corpus collosum size - it is reported that a woman's brain has a larger corpus collusum, which means women can transfer data between the right and left hemisphere faster than men. Men tend to be more left brained, while women have greater access to both sides.

Language - for men, language is most often just in the dominant hemisphere (usually the left side), but a larger number of women seem to be able to use both sides for language. This gives them a distinct advantage. If a woman has a stroke in the left front side of the brain, she may still retain some language from the right front side. Men who have the same left sided damage are less likely to recover as fully.

Limbic size -- bonding/nesting instincts - current research has demonstrated that females, on average, have a larger deep limbic system than males. This gives females several advantages and disadvantages. Due to the larger deep limbic brain women are more in touch with their feelings, they are generally better able to express their feelings than men. They have an increased ability to bond and be connected to others (which is why women are the primary caretakers for children - there is no society on earth where men are primary caretakers for children). Females have a more acute sense of smell, which is likely to have developed from an evolutionary need for the mother to recognize her young. Having a larger deep limbic system leaves a female somewhat more susceptible to depression, especially at times of significant hormonal changes such as the onset of puberty, before menses, after the birth of a child and at menopause. Women attempt suicide three times more than men. Yet, men kill themselves three times more than women, in part, because they use more violent means of killing themselves (women tend to use overdoses with pills while men tend to either shoot or hang themselves) and men are generally less connected to others than are women. Disconnection from others increases the risk of completed suicides.

[New Tolerance]

If women are more complicated mentally, then why are the vast majority of famous philosophers, mathematians, musicians, artists, writers, and famous politicans -> male?

As you can see, I voted no.

[Al Creed]

Originally posted by New Tolerance@Jan 26 2004, 08:28 PM
If women are more complicated mentally, then why are the vast majority of famous philosophers, mathematians, musicians, artists, writers, and famous politicans -> male?

Misogyny throughout the ages.

***
I voted "Yes" on this subject (Knowing I was putting my life on the line), I've noticed, on the whole, the female mind is, not so much more complicated, as it is more complex than the Male brain (generally speaking, I know ther is, as with anything, exceptions to the rule.)

Please don't kill me, female contingent of Che-Lives

[DarkAngel]

If women are more complicated mentally, then why are the vast majority of famous philosophers, mathematians, musicians, artists, writers, and famous politicans -> male?

Thats a stereotype. And to answer this question: Most famous philosophers, mathematicians, musicians, artists, writers, and famous politicians are male because women were not given the chance to show their intelligence up until the late 1800's and early 1900's.

I must admit I know a lot of stupid girls.... like actually air headed, but for every female idiot I know theres a handful of moron guys

I still say no.....
I haven't met every single women in the world so I am in no position to make that judgment. h34r: :angry: :P

[revoevo]

I said no, women are not more complicated. I believe it's about equal. If anything, the disparage in emotional complexity is nurture. Girls are brought up to be emotional, boys are not. As for intelligence, I'd say men and women are definitely equals.

[Rastafari]

hard to say. I've never been a woman before, but I do think they are more in touch. Men are a lot more likely to go crazy, but I don't know what that means either way. I'd say that'd go against the point, but whose to say.

[redstar2000]

I voted "unsure".

I'm not only unsure about the answer, I'm unsure about the question...or what conclusions we could reasonably draw even if we knew the answer.

We'd have to know "more complicated in what ways"...not guess or infer but actually know.

For example, it's claimed that women have a better grasp of language than men. What "social conclusion" should we draw? Extra language training for men? Or put women in charge of all matters pertaining to language use?

The same thing applies to ability to "bond" with others. Should men get remedial training in "bonding with others"?

Indeed, in any except a "common-sense" definition, what do we even mean by "bonding with others"? The complexities of really trying to nail something like that down are...well, daunting, to say the least.



The RedStar2000 Papers
A site about communist ideas

[mia wallace]

i'm female and i can asure u that girls/women think males are very complex

[New Tolerance]

Patriarchy? Does that ring a bell

if they are so complexed then why didn't we become a Matriarchy early on?

Hey, I'm not saying that girls are inferior, a good deal of history has shown that mental complexity is not the all dominate factor in the development of a society. You can be pretty witty and still get some disease and die at the age of 2.

This is not a big deal.

[Pete]

if they are so complexed then why didn't we become a Matriarchy early on?

Actually, if you read into many myths of the Greek peoples you can see a tension between the female earth principle and the sky male principle at play, the same is found to a less extend in Indian and I believe Celtic societies. Many scholar suggest that this is proof (shaky no doubt) of an early matriarchy that was over thrown by a later patriarchy. If horses would have horse gods, then a woman's chief god would probaly be a woman.

Also a smattering of First Nations lived in virtual matriarchies until the colonial period.

-Pete

[New Tolerance]

Originally posted by Pete@Jan 27 2004, 11:23 PM

if they are so complexed then why didn't we become a Matriarchy early on?

Actually, if you read into many myths of the Greek peoples you can see a tension between the female earth principle and the sky male principle at play, the same is found to a less extend in Indian and I believe Celtic societies. Many scholar suggest that this is proof (shaky no doubt) of an early matriarchy that was over thrown by a later patriarchy. If horses would have horse gods, then a woman's chief god would probaly be a woman.

Also a smattering of First Nations lived in virtual matriarchies until the colonial period.

-Pete

What?

Are you trying to telling us that men are superior to women? Since by what you are showing if you pin a patriarchy against a matriarchy the patriarchy would win, as you have shown that patriarchies overthrows matriarchies, and other matriarchies gets smashed by imperialist patriarchies?

un-Marixst....





Just kidding. ok ok, come down, don't kill me.

[Pete]

Was that all humour or no?

If it was then disregard my next line, if it wasn't read on.

I am saying that some scholars suggest that there were matriarchies that were attacked and destroyed, then replaced by patriarchies. Of course their are also scholars who pin the founding of judaism on some proto-marxist workers revolt...

[New Tolerance]

Do they?

It seems to me like the image of guys being stupid, beer drinking slobs is burned into many girls, and many people for that matter, by society.

In the same way, the image of girls being whiny and complicated seems to be burned into most boys at a young age.

Mmm, could these images be corporate propaganda?

[Rastafari]

if they are so complexed then why didn't we become a Matriarchy early on?

A lot of west African cultures were, at one time (and some across the continent still are) very matriarchal. I think it works perfectly for them.

Imagine if we had women in places of command (women generals, etc.). I bet we&#39;d have less wars. That is, unless they were &#39;manly&#39; women like Hillary Clinton and Janet Reno... <_<