New brain research challenges the myth that men are more visual than women.
It is considered an almost forgone conclusion across research disciplines, among pop psychologists of all stripes, and in the general population that men are more “visual” than women when it comes to the way they get turned on. Men, we’re told, are visually aroused, whereas women just need a good sense of humor, and possibly a strong jaw, and they're on board.
This misguided, but pervasive belief can be linked to a host of other gender stereotypes which are further complicated by sexual politics and differences in social power. So arguments which should be challenged, such as the “fact” that men leer more than women do, that they objectify women’s bodies more than women do men’s bodies, and that they just can’t stop watching porn, are explained as somehow being related to a mix of genetics, patriarchy, and simple mindedness.
Challenging these ideas can be a monumental task. Researcher bias being what it is, science rarely offers support for these "counter-intuitive" ideas. What's worse, when research does start to complicate matters, the media, and even smart bloggers who should know better, distort the findings beyond recognition.
Nonetheless, a recent study published in the journal Brain Research is offering the first preliminary but important evidence to dispel the age old myth that visual imagery is more important to men than it is to women. And it's worth considering without hyperbole.
The study, carried out by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis measured brainwave activity of 264 women as they viewed a series of 55 color slides that contained various scenes from water skiers to snarling dogs to partially-clad couples in sensual poses. The researchers were interested in the speed, strength, and location of brainwave activity of the subjects as they viewed erotic versus non-erotic images.
As they hypothesized, the brainwave activity of participants was markedly different when viewing erotic images versus non-erotic images. But a finding they didn’t expect was that female participant’s response was similar to men. In a prepared statement, lead author Andrey P. Anokhin explained:
"Usually men subjectively rate erotic material much higher than women," he says. "So based on those data we would expect lower responses in women, but that was not the case. Women have responses as strong as those seen in men."
The authors propose that previous findings from other studies which found men to have a stronger response to erotic images than women may have as much to do with research methods, as an actual response by men or women.
This study, which itself carries several limitations, and I would argue more than a few major theoretical flaws, is still one of the first to offer statistically significant empirical evidence that both women and men respond subjectively and significantly to visual erotic material. Which is good news for those of us who believe that our response to sexual or erotic imagery may be a bit more complicated than X or Y.
Reference:
Anokhin AP, Golosheykin S, Sirevaag E, et. al. “Rapid discrimination of visual scene content in the human brain” Brain Research, 2006 May 16; [Epub ahead of print], accessed June 18, 2006.
Read more - Weird Sexual Science: Erotica, Evolutionary Theory, and Women Who Like Porn
Read more - Erotic images elicit strong response from brain
Photo credit: Washington University in St. Louis
Ah yes. I’ve seen it many times myself. It’s plastered all over the internet. “Men are very visual” they say. The saying came into existence a few years ago. Ever since then it has gained in popularity and believe.
Hell, even I have to admit, that I believed it myself for a while. I used to be a bit naďve (about women) back in the day. And the explanation seemed valid. But I grew out of it real quick though. Hehe.
I could explain the entire charade to you right now if I wanted. Why men are perceived as very visual. Why women aren’t etc. etc. But i’m not going to do that (to much work lol).
Instead I’m going to keep it simple. One frase says it all really… I came up with it myself hehe…
Men aren’t visual, women are graphic.
Yes indeed. Tell me how many times you see this kinda stuff (out in the streets or whatever):
Popped cleevage, a shitload of make-up, mini-skirts displaying legs wrapped in stockings or pantyhose, all accentuated by a pare of high-heeled boots (these by the way, have always been the standard attire for hookers and prostitutes), skintight clothing, low-cut clothing (jeans, tops etc.) and a whole lot of ass (by the way, have you noticed how nowadays womens butts are looking more shapely and sculptured? Yeah, that’s because modern female jeans are cut specifically to make them look that way. So even if you have a saggy, shapeless ass, all you need to do is buy a pair of jeans and you can pass for J-Lo anyday.
Isn’t it obvious? Women look so “perfect” these days that men can’t help but ogle them. But it’s all fake. As a matter of fact, the average woman is fake.
Do you have any idea how many cosmetic enhancements are available to women? I haven’t even metioned plastic surgery yet. Half the time you see a woman with nice tits, you can’t even be sure if they’re real or not.
Just to get an idea of how far women take cosmetics, you should ask yourself how many of these “enhancements” are available to men.
And it get’s even worse. It’s not just young women and little girls that are doing this. No no, even old(er) women are doing it. Heck, I’ve seen women that I would classify as grandma’s walk around like some cheap trick. It’s proposterous.
And all the while, men are taking heat for it. Men are visual, men only think about sex. How can you not think about something if it’s bombarded into your brain every second of the day. It’s women who are obsessed with sex, not men. That’s why they’re also so obsessed about how they look.
Women have always been deemed as superior in the dating game. And not just as superior but also as more righteous. It’s never their fault. And men should always treat women right no matter what.
What a crock.
But it’s cool though. Men all over the world are getting tired of the chokehold women have on moral. And a revolution is on the way. The men will set things straight. We always have.