ScienceDaily: Gender Difference News

One in six women at fracture clinics report domestic violence

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:44:44 EDT

One in six women arriving at orthopedic fracture clinics have been victims of physical, emotional, or sexual violence at the hands of an intimate partner within the past year, and one in 50 arrive as a direct result of intimate partner violence (IPV), according to the largest multinational study of its kind to date.

Caregiving dads treated disrespectfully at work, new study finds

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:09:09 EDT

If policy-makers want to do something about falling birth rates, they may want to take a look at improving how people are treated at work when they step outside of traditional family roles at home. New studies show that middle-class men who take on non-traditional caregiving roles are treated worse at work than men who stick closer to traditional gender norms in the family. Women without children and mothers with non-traditional caregiving arrangements are treated worst of all.

Most popular baby names from last decade decoded

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 19:02:02 EDT

Names can provide a clue to a person's background. And, with certain names come certain preconceptions. But could a parent's choice of name for their child be influenced by evolution? Scientists analyzed the most popular baby names from the last decade to decode the link between the sounds in a name and the sex, in a new article.

Cheerful women are not associated with leadership qualities, but proud ones are, study finds

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 11:34:34 EDT

Women are perceived as being more willing to lead if they show that they are proud of their personal performance. If, however, they give a cheerful impression, they are judged to have less willingness to leadership roles than men who display similar emotions. This is one of the initial findings of a long-term project in which economic researchers are investigating the selection and assessment of leaders.

Women reject sexually promiscuous peers when making female friends

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 14:22:22 EDT

College-aged women judge promiscuous female peers more negatively than more chaste women and view them as unsuitable for friendship, according to psychologists.

Sleep deprived men over perceive women's sexual interest and intent

Fri, 31 May 2013 10:55:55 EDT

A new study suggests that one night of sleep deprivation leads to an increase in men's perceptions of both women's interest in and intent to have sex.

Big feet preference in rural Indonesia defies one-size-fits-all theory of attractiveness

Thu, 30 May 2013 09:44:44 EDT

People in most cultures view women with small feet as attractive and a sign of a potential mate's youth and fertility. But a new research study shows that the Karo Batak living in rural villages in Indonesia deem women with big feet as more appealing, suggesting that culture – not just genetics – plays a role in deciding what makes a mate attractive.

Women donate less to charity than men in some contexts

Tue, 28 May 2013 16:09:09 EDT

Given the chance, women are more likely than men to dodge an opportunity to donate to charity, a group of economists has found.

Men, women lie about sex to match gender expectations

Tue, 28 May 2013 12:23:23 EDT

People will lie about their sexual behavior to match cultural expectations about how men or women should act – even though they wouldn’t distort other gender-related behaviors, new research suggests.

Students perform well regardless of reading print or digital books

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:07:07 EDT

Students did equally well on a test whether reading from a digital book or a printed one, new research shows.

'Boys will be boys' in U.S., but not in Asia

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:03:03 EDT

A new study shows there is a gender gap when it comes to behavior and self-control in American young children -- one that does not appear to exist in children in Asia.

Doctors prescribe more analgesics to women than to men just for being female, Spanish study shows

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:56:56 EDT

Regardless of pain, social class or age, a woman is more likely to be prescribed pain-relieving drugs. A new study affirms that this phenomenon is influenced by socioeconomic inequality between genders.

Gym class reduces probability of obesity, study finds for first time

Mon, 20 May 2013 16:36:36 EDT

Little is known about the effect of physical education on child weight, but a new study finds that increasing the amount of time that elementary schoolchildren spent in gym class reduces the probability of obesity.

College women exceed NIAAA drinking guidelines more frequently than college men

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:37:37 EDT

In 1990, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism issued guidelines that define low-risk drinking, which differ for men and women. New research shows that female college student drinkers exceed NIAAA guidelines for weekly drinking more frequently than their male counterparts.

Through the eyes of a burglar: Study provides insights on habits and motivations, importance of security

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:09:09 EDT

One way to understand what motivates and deters burglars is to ask them. A researcher did just that. He led a research team that gathered survey responses from more than 400 convicted offenders that resulted in an unprecedented look into the minds of burglars, providing insight into intruders’ motivations and methods.

Higher child marriage rates associated with higher maternal and infant mortality

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:40:40 EDT

Countries in which girls are commonly married before the age of 18 have significantly higher rates of maternal and infant mortality, report researchers.

Openly gay: Does it affect performance appraisal?

Mon, 13 May 2013 12:33:33 EDT

Although knowing an actor is gay significantly affected ratings of his masculinity, there was no significant effect on ratings of his acting performance, researchers say.

Sexual harassment linked to 'purging' -- in men

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:43:43 EDT

Men who experience high levels of sexual harassment are much more likely than women to induce vomiting and take laxatives and diuretics in an attempt to control their weight, according to a surprising finding.

Brain anatomy of dyslexia is not the same in men and women, boys and girls

Wed, 08 May 2013 13:18:18 EDT

Using MRI, neuroscientists have found significant differences in brain anatomy when comparing men and women with dyslexia to their non-dyslexic control groups. Their study is the first to directly compare brain anatomy of females with and without dyslexia.

Father and teenagers: Desire for children affects relationship

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:28:28 EDT

The relationships of fathers to their teenaged children are apparently influenced by the nature of their previous desire for children. The more acute that this feeling is, the more closely fathers engage with their children at an everyday level.

Women sell themselves short on team projects, study suggests

Tue, 07 May 2013 13:46:46 EDT

Working on a team is always a challenge, but a new study highlights a particular challenge to women: how much they credit themselves in a joint success. Women will devalue their contributions when working with men but not with other women, according to the new research. The study suggests yet another reason why women still tend to be under-represented at the highest echelons of many organizations.

New brain research shows two parents may be better than one

Wed, 01 May 2013 19:32:32 EDT

Scientists have discovered that adult brain cell production might be determined, in part, by the early parental environment. The study suggests that dual parenting may be more beneficial than single parenting.

The biology behind binge eating

Wed, 01 May 2013 10:13:13 EDT

Female rats are much more likely to binge eat than male rats, according to new research that provides some of the strongest evidence yet that biology plays a role in eating disorders.

Professional culture contributes to gender wage inequality in engineering

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:20:20 EDT

Women engineers are underpaid for their contributions to technical activities, due to cultural ideologies in the engineering profession, according to new research.

Family-friendly tenure policies result in salary penalty for professors

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:49:49 EDT

Well-intentioned policies to make achieving tenure more family-friendly actually have negative consequences for the salaries of college faculty, says a new study.

Pedophiles identified accurately with implicit association tasks

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:14:14 EDT

A combination of two tasks for implied sexual associations has distinguished -- with more than 90 per cent certainty -- a group of pedophilic men from a group of men with a sexual preference for adult women. In the long term this could lead to a diagnostic test, for example for men who have applied to work with children.

Moms more likely than other employees to leave male-dominated jobs with long hours

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:31:31 EDT

As demands for long work hours continue to increase, a new study found that mothers are more likely than other employees to leave jobs in male-dominated fields.

What drives activity on Pinterest?

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:57:57 EDT

Researchers have released a new study that uses statistical data to help understand the motivations behind Pinterest activity, the roles gender plays among users and the factors that distinguish Pinterest from other popular social networking sites.

Famous performers and sportsmen tend to have shorter lives

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:36:36 EDT

Fame and achievement in performance-related careers may be earned at the cost of a shorter life, according to a new study.

Teachers' assessments not always conducive to fair education, researcher says

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:59:59 EDT

Teachers’ assessments of pupils’ literacy can vary significantly, even for pupils with similar test scores. This may interfere with children’s right to fair and gender-equal education, according to new research.

There is no single sexy chin, study shows

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:51:51 EDT

A new global study finds significant geographic differences in chin shapes.

Huge disparities in hypertension seen across U.S. counties

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 18:46:46 EDT

In the first ever analysis of awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension for every county, researchers revealed significant differences across the United States.

Could playing 'boys' games help girls in science and math?

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 09:26:26 EDT

A new review finds that men still have better spatial ability than women and this may be explained by gender-role identification.

Gender bias found in how scholars review scientific studies

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:20:20 EDT

A scientist's gender can have a big impact on how other researchers perceive his or her work, according to a new study.

Female students just as successful as males in math and science, Asian-Americans outperform all

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:50:50 EDT

While compared to men, women continue to be underrepresented in math and science courses and careers. Is this disparity a true reflection of male and female student ability? According to a new study, male and female students earn similar grades in math and science while Asian-American students of both genders outperform all other races.

Telling tales can be a good thing: Personal stories help children develop emotional skills

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:30:30 EDT

A new study finds mothers tell better, more emotional stories about past experiences which help children develop their emotional skills. The act of talking is not an area where ability is usually considered along gender lines. However, a new study has found subtle differences between the sexes in their story-relating ability and specifically the act of reminiscing.

Young women do not want to run for office, experts say

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 15:10:10 EDT

There is a serious gender gap in women's interest versus men's interest in running for elected office which will likely persist for generations, experts say.

Women make better decisions than men, study suggests

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:16:16 EDT

Women's abilities to make fair decisions when competing interests are at stake make them better corporate leaders, researchers have found. The study showed that women are more likely to consider the rights of others and to take a cooperative approach to decision-making. This approach translates into better performance for their companies.

Parent-child violence leads to teen dating violence, study suggests

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:02:02 EDT

Teen dating violence is all too common and according to researchers it is a reflection of the relationships teens have with their parents or their parent’s partner.

Men and women get sick in different ways: Developing gender-specific medicine is a major challenge of the future

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 09:08:08 EDT

Recent research in laboratory medicine has revealed crucial differences between men and women with regard to cardiovascular illness, cancer, liver disease, osteoporosis, and in the area of pharmacology.

Different camera angles may evoke emotion in audiences

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:48:48 EDT

Camera angles may play a significant role when organizations are trying to convince TV viewers to support a cause, according to a new study.

'End of men'? Not even close

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:44:44 EDT

A report on gender in the professions shows that males retain lion’s share of power and prestige in post-recession economy.

More career options may explain why fewer women pursue jobs in science and math

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:44:44 EDT

Women may be less likely to pursue careers in science and math because they have more career choices, not because they have less ability, according to a new study.

No sons linked to lower contraception use in Nepal

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:57:57 EDT

While poverty and under-education continue to dampen contraception use in Nepal, exacerbating the country’s efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality rates, researchers say another, more surprising factor may be more intractable: Deeply held cultural preferences for sons over daughters.

Teen sexting, the gender gap

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:49:49 EDT

A survey of US adolescents reveals a gender gap in attitudes towards sexting and perceived harm.

International gender difference in math and reading scores persists regardless of gender equality

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:18:18 EDT

Even in countries with high gender equality, sex differences in math and reading scores persisted in the 75 nations examined by a new study. Girls consistently scored higher in reading, while boys got higher scores in math, but these gaps are linked and vary with overall social and economic conditions of the nation.

Stereotyping prime obstacle to women in commercial science: Cracking glass ceiling starts with academic leaders, tech transfer offices

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:20:20 EDT

Female professors are underrepresented on corporates science advisory boards, and the gender gap decreases when academic administrators work to raise the profile of their high-performing female scientists.

Handedness in marsupials is dependent on gender, research shows

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 20:03:03 EST

Boys are right-handed, girls are left ... Well at least this is true for sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) and grey short-tailed opossums (Monodelphis domestica). New research shows that handedness in marsupials is dependent on gender. This preference of one hand over another has developed despite the absence of a corpus collosum, the part of the brain which in placental mammals allows one half of the brain to communicate with the other.

Aggressive advertising makes for aggressive men

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:33:33 EST

Does advertising influence society, or is it merely a reflection of society's pre-existing norms? Where male attitudes are concerned, a new study implicates magazine advertisements specifically aimed at men as helping to reinforce a certain set of views on masculinity termed "hyper-masculinity."

Studying the health of same-sex couples

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 08:59:59 EST

Same-sex couples that live together report worse health than people of the same socioeconomic status who are in heterosexual marriages, according to a national study that could have implications for the gay marriage debate.

Same-sex cohabitors less healthy than those in heterosexual marriages, study suggests

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 08:57:57 EST

Same-sex cohabitors report worse health than people of the same socioeconomic status who are in heterosexual marriages, according to a new study, which may provide fuel for gay marriage proponents.

Boys' lack of effort in school tied to college gender gap

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:15:15 EST

When it comes to college education, men are falling behind by standing still. The proportion of men receiving college degrees has stagnated, while women have thrived under the new economic and social realities in the United States.

Mouse mothers induce parenting behaviors in fathers with ultra-sonic noises

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 10:21:21 EST

Researchers have demonstrated the existence of communicative signalling from female mice that induces male parental behavior.

Student loans help women more than men in reaching graduation

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 19:42:42 EST

Student loans provide more help to women than they do for men in encouraging graduation from college, a new nationwide study reveals.

Trustworthy mating advice deepens bond between straight women and gay men

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:32:32 EST

A new psychology study suggests the glue that cements the unique relationship between gay men and straight women is honest, unbiased relationship advice.

Language protein differs in males, females

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:21:21 EST

Male rat pups have more of a specific brain protein associated with language development than females, according to a new study. The study also found sex differences in the brain protein in a small group of children. The findings may shed light on sex differences in communication in animals and language acquisition in people.

Males' superior spatial ability likely is not an evolutionary adaptation; Testosterone 'side effect'?

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:13:13 EST

Males and females differ in a lot of traits (besides the obvious ones) and some evolutionary psychologists have proposed hypotheses to explain why. Some argue, for example, that males' slight, but significant, superiority in spatial navigation over females -- a phenomenon demonstrated repeatedly in many species, including humans -- is probably "adaptive," meaning that over the course of evolutionary history the trait gave males an advantage that led them to have more offspring than their peers. A new analysis found no support for this hypothesis.

Marketing technique: Activating gender stereotypes just to knock 'em down

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 14:10:10 EST

A new study looks at the issue of product perception of consumers through the lens of gender stereotypes. The researchers conclude that while traditional gender stereotypes can still have a significant influence on consumer behavior in the 21st century, there are ways that firms can activate these stereotypes solely to transcend them.

Negative stereotypes about boys hinder their academic achievement

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 10:05:05 EST

Researchers investigated the role of gender stereotypes. They found that from a very young age, children think boys are academically inferior to girls, and they believe that adults think so, too. Each of the three studies (two of which were experimental) included 150+ participants. Findings suggest that negative academic stereotypes about boys are acquired in children's earliest years of primary education and have self-fulfilling consequences.

Genetic predisposition to brain injury after preterm birth is sex-specific

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 10:22:22 EST

Variation in gene, involved in inflammation, associated with developmental problems after preterm birth in females, but not males.