Are there any differences between the brains of men and women?

There are anatomical and biochemical differences between a male and female brain as the text says. For example, a case study of autopsied brains showed that 11% of the female brain had more cells in the cortex, and brain scans that show larger frontal lobes and limbic systems in female brain and larger cortex and amygdala in men, or even some MRIs that show women using both sides of their temporal lobe in mental tasks.

However, I do think that any behavioral differences, as enumerated in the text, are as a result of stereo types and cultural roles or emphasis on gender roles. The structural differences in the brain do not result in behavior differences. The text points to a study in the rhyme-judgment task where both sexes performed equally. Another study on brain MRI scans on brains of women and men that scored equivalent IQ scores concluded that even though men had more gray-matter in areas associated with intelligence, they did however, score equally. Hence, the anatomical differences of the brain were no advantage to the men.

Moreover, men on average have a brain that weighs 11-12% more than women. But, men on average do weigh more and do also have head sizes that are 2% bigger than women. The collected from boys and girls of the same weight show no differences in brain size. (See Data from Dekaban, A.S. and Sadowsky, D @ http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/heshe.html)

The reason I bring this up is because much has beeen said about a “correlation” between brain sizes and intelligence (especially in animals). Studies have shown that larger animals need larger brains to control larger muscles and to process more sensory information through their skin; this has nothing to do with intelligence.

Notes:

Except where noted, the ideas in this article are adopted from a course text book (below) for general discussion purposes

Wade, C., & Tavris, C. (2011). Invitation to Psychology. 5 ed. New York: Prentice Hall.