Connectomes— Gender Brain Wiring Differences  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Brain References – by topic

Conflict is Expensive  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Conflict happens everywhere —  Home: contributes to illness, disease, stress, violence, addictions, divorce, murder...  Schools and churches: burns out personnel and triggers misunderstandings...  Workplace: managers spend 18% of their time managing employee conflicts... —US State News; August 19, 2006

‘Conflict Between Gentlemen’ Punch Magazine 1853

Two main contributors are: Low levels of Emotional Intelligence or EQ Successful managers tend to have high levels of EQ, while less successful managers often have high IQ but low EQ Misunderstanding of brain differences Learning about gender brain differences and practically applying what you learn can minimize cross-gender conflict Conflict Contributors  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc

Gender Differences  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc ‘Who I Am Pyramid’ Are represented by the foundational layer on the ‘Who I Am Pyramid’ Gender differences are here to stay—you can collaborate and have fun with them or be frustrated and miserable 

Psychological and behavioral testing has consistently indicated a significant difference between males and females in the ability to perform various specific tasks Males outperform females in some tasks and females outperform males in others This has resulted in a number of generalizations Typical Gender Differences  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc

Gender-Differences Research  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Is presented as generalizations that are conclusions from research studies that typically apply to about 2/3 of the population Of the remaining 1/3, some resemble the data even more closely, some less closely Exceptions reflect individual uniqueness— they do not invalidate the research Sometimes there are more differences within a gender than between them

Diffusion Tensor Imaging or DTI is a new brain-scanning technique that measures the flow of water along a nerve-axon pathway It outlines the path of myelinated axons that facilitate the long-range conduction of electro-chemical signals—part of the brain's white matter Believed to be more white matter in the right cerebral hemisphere and in the Corpus Callosum Diffusion Tensor Imaging  Arlene R. Taylor PhD  Axon

A neural map shows you whether and how one region of the brain is physically connected to another region DTI studies have established the level of connectivity between nearly 100 regions of the brain—no surprise, they have shown significant differences in connectivity patterns between male and female brains —Ragini Verma and Rubin Gur Pennsylvania University Connectome: a Neural Map  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc

Most of the connections in a typical male brain run between the front and the back of the same side of the brain The only part of the brain where left-right connectivity was greater in males (than in female brains) was in the cerebellum that is linked with motor control Connectome: Male Brain  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc

This could account for better: Spatial skills Motor (muscle) control Map reading Direction finding Vehicle driving Translating perception to motor skills as in some sports Male Brain Connectome  Arlene R. Taylor PhD

More of the connections in a typical female brain run from side to side between the left and right hemispheres of the brain Female brains showed many more interconnections especially between the left and right frontal lobes of the brain Connectome: Female Brain  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc

This could account for better: Verbal skills Intuitive abilities Memory test results (recalling words and remembering faces) Social cognition test results (attempting to measure empathy and EQ skills) Female Brain Connectome  Arlene R. Taylor PhD

Connectomes Comparison  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc

If any part of the brain is ‘on’ it’s all ‘on’ so takes more energy to run second for second Spends more time on the ‘highway’ due to corpus callosum size and brain style Two hemispheres are somewhat independent – one idles while the other works – so takes less energy to run Spends less time on the ‘highway’ Energy Expenditures  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc

Emotions  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Joy is aligned with the L. Hemisphere Usually language is loaded in the L. Hemisphere regardless of handedness Tend to talk-out their emotions Three protective emotions (anger, fear, sadness) are aligned with the R. Hemisphere Tend to act-out their emotions

Fewer accidents per miles driven Less skillful drivers overall… 14% more accidents per miles driven More skillful drivers overall... Driving  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc More tentative/cautious in driving style – tend to see better at night Tend to act out emotions in exhibition of speed – tend to see better in daylight

Gender and Language  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Tend to ask a question to start a discussion Speak a language of connection and suggestion Female speech has an underlying metamessage Tend to just answer the question Male speech is concrete, directive, and has no underlying metamessage

Coming To a Conclusion  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc When faced with a decision, it takes about the same amount of time for male and female brains to come to a conclusion – they get there very differently Process verbally and aloud—unless they have been shamed for what their brain does most efficiently—the first think they say is not their conclusion Process silently and internally and only want to speak aloud when they have arrived at their conclusion— unless prodded to do so too early

Here to Stay!  Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc Gender brain differences are not good or bad, desirable or undesirable, right or wrong; they are what they are and you can make your life easier or more difficult by your response to differences Increased knowledge can trigger positive communication and collaboration—and it can be so much fun !

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