6 Key Differences Between Men and Women
We know, we know… you’ve been aware that there are differences between men and women since you were in diapers. However, most men rarely take the time to appreciate the nuance of those differences. Women are no better in that regard — they may notice the differences more acutely than men do, but fail to appreciate them just the same.
Whenever a woman comes across that so-called “ideal man.” You know, the type of guy that is able to be a “man’s man” around his friends, while exuding strong masculine charm around the ladies. The one that always appears confident — being able to simultaneously strike a connection with a woman’s sensibilities while never sacrificing his masculinity. That guy isn’t some sort of freak. He doesn’t control some secret potion to “impress the ladies.” What he does possess, however, is a basic understanding of the nuances in the differences between men and women. Armed with that knowledge, finding a partner, keeping a relationship going — even becoming “irresistible” — suddenly becomes much easier.
Here are some key differences between men and women — properly explained — that everyone should be aware of:
1. Women are Situational Thinkers — Men are Spatial Thinkers
The female brain is wired differently than a male’s. While on average being slightly smaller in size, a woman’s brain has a greater number of interconnections between the neurons. This results in women being more adept at long-term planning and looking at the larger scope of things. In the meantime, men are more comfortable tackling things as they happen. They prefer troubleshooting problems as opposed to being proactive about preventing them.
“What? Why pay for the protection plan when I can just slap some duct tape on it when it breaks,” says he. “Just to be safe, it may cost a little more, but if it ever breaks, at least we’ll have peace of mind that it’s covered,” says she.
Knowing this difference won’t change it — after all, it’s nature! It will, however, make understanding the point of view that the other one is coming from much easier. Instead of being confrontational and seeing your positions as contradictory to one another, you’ll be able to pause and appreciate that you are just seeing things from a different perspective.
2. Women Express Aggression Verbally More Than Men
If you ever asked yourself why it is difficult to win an argument with a woman, the answer is simple. Evolution has made women more adept at the fine art of arguing. This didn’t come about due to some weird aberration of nature — it was actually beneficial for our development as a species.
Since men had to go out to hunt or face encroaching enemies, developing aggression pathways that were more synced with physical aggression was beneficial for men. Women, on the other hand, had to develop aggression pathways that were tuned to managing the multitude of extended family that dwelled in the settlement. This required strong verbal assertion. Seeing it that way, the knack for arguing and not standing down by women actually makes evolutionary sense.
Instead of lamenting or regretting how they can rarely win an argument against a woman, men should realize that nature dealt them a bad hand when it comes to winning arguments. They should therefore, focus more on argument mitigation as opposed to trying to win an argument.
3. Women are More Social Than Men
Evolution strikes again. Women are much better at thinking and interacting in social contexts. Men prefer to treat social interaction as an abstract. This creates vast differences in the way men and women communicate with each other. It also explains why women are able to be more empathetic to those around them.
What should be gleaned from this? Men should be more understanding of a woman’s proclivity for social interaction, especially how that applies to communication. Every man should realize why — being more social and empathetic by nature — a woman is prone to get upset if you provide them with one-word answers when she is trying to have a conversation with you. Likewise, women should also not expect a man to engage in a multi-level verbal dissertation about the trouble that her best friend is having with her stepmother’s cousin.
4. Women are More in Tune With Their Emotions
Emotions are controlled by our limbic system. It should be no surprise, therefore, that women have larger limbic systems than men. This explains why it’s easier for women to express and understand not only their own emotions but also those of others. Men are more constrained when it comes to emotions. Unless an emotion is clearly verbalized to them, they struggle to understand them.
This also affects decision making. Women tend to allow emotion to enter into the decision-making process, while men follow a colder, logical path.
By being aware of this, the role of emotions in a relationship can be better understood. Instead of being a source of friction, it can be a pathway for mutual understanding.
5. Women Have a Sharper Memory for Their Environment
When a woman remembers the color of the table linen at the Italian place you visited one summer while on vacation just by looking at a picture of someone who looks like “Antonio,” the waiter that served you that day three years ago, it’s not due to magic — it’s human biology!
Women have far more activity in the part of the brain known as the hippocampus, the area responsible for storing memories. As such, they have a better memory for events, people, names and other details.
6. The Difference in Sexual Focus
Both men and women are sexual creatures. The way that they apply their cognitive senses to the arousal process, however, is different. Men rely heavily on their visual perception. Women use multiple senses — the visual, sensory, auditory and olfactory senses all play a role in female sexual arousal. Even the ambiance of the romantic setting influences the process.
Obviously, if a man wants to catch a woman’s eye not only must he look his best, but he must also take ancillary items, such as the cologne he wears, the setting for the date, etc. into account when attempting to set the mood for romance.
Vive la Difference!
Yes, men and women are different.
As much as the differences between men and women can create confusion in communication, understanding and nurturing between the sexes — they can also forge a path for discovery that leads to stronger relationships. In other words, you will get further celebrating the differences as opposed to ignoring them.
Taking the added step of understanding the root of the differences between men and women will make any man more appealing and any woman more enchanting.
