Includes the following article: The Gender Factor in
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"THE GENDER FACTOR IN HEARING HEALTH"
By Max Stanley Chartrand, M.A.,
DigiCare Hearing Research & Rehabilitation
Development of human hearing reveals measurable patterns
and differences between the sexes. Some of these appear
to be transitory during early development. Others seem
to become established over time, often defining
educational and occupational goals.
New Findings May Shed Light on how the sexes differ in
hearing. Because information about life and one’s place
within it are gathered through the sensorial window of
audition, these findings may be significant in the
planning and implementation of future educational and
occupational training programs (U.S. Department of
Education, 1992). And possibly, in better understanding
human nature- as well as how men and women communicate.
MALE VS FEMALE AUDITORY DEVELOPMENT
The female auditory system, as a rule, develops earlier
(Waber, 1976) and tends to fall off much later in life
than does the male auditory system (Moscicki, et al,
1985), (Davis and Silverman, 1970). In the early
development stage of human audition, females are more
sensitive to loud sounds and have a more developed
startle reflex, which is closely tied to development of
the interneural pathways between the limbic system
(emotions) and the superior colliculus of the central
auditory system (Pool, 1994).
Males, on the other hand, exhibit greater
interconnectedness at the more primitive (fight or
flight) amygdala portion of the brain and intuitive
response to danger signals (Wood, et al, 1991.) Female
infants orient more readily to tones and subtleties of
expression in voices (Hines, 1990). With increased skin
sensitivity they are more proficient at early fine motor
performance and, as a rule, are better than males at
rapid sequential movements (Weinstein, 1968).
Females have greater interconnectedness between the
right and left brain hemispheres because of the greater
dendritic mass at the corpus callosum, which connects
both sides of the brain for greater simultaneous
utilization (Pool, 1994). Males tend to use their left
hemisphere exclusively for language processing and
abstract thinking, often missing more aesthetic and
holistic indicators in human communication. Thus, mimic
of speech sounds (right brain/holistic ability) comes
more readily in early language development of females.
Females are more attracted to and attentive to social
contexts such as facial expressions, speech patterns,
and voice tones which require near equal and
simultaneous abilities from both the right and left
hemispheres of the brain during human communication (Ley
and Bryden, 1979). Females speak sooner, possess larger
vocabularies, and rarely demonstrate speech defects.
Stuttering and many other speech and learning
developmental problems, on the other hand, occur
predominantly among boys (Halpern, 1992), (Bloodstein,
1987). Because of earlier development, females can sing
in tune at an earlier age, and usually maintain superior
linguistic bias throughout life (McGlone, 1980). They
also read sooner, learn foreign languages easier and
often enter occupations involving superior language
mastery.
(ILLUSTRATION)
Auditory Development Comparisons:
MALES
Late auditory dev./language acquisition
Early superior visual bias
Tend to be more inquisitive
Superior spatial ability via right hemisphere
Communication via left hemisphere spec.
Faster reaction times, gross total body mvmt.
Hearing declines earlier
FEMALES
Early auditory dev/language acquisition
Utilize social contexts
More sensitive to nuances of speech
Lowered spatial ability (bi-hemispheric)
Utilize R/L hemisphere in communication
Superior fine motor skills
Earlier “ear training”, sing in tune earlier
Maintains hearing acuity longer in life
Males Show Superiority in visual acuity and tend to
compensate through vision for their initially lower
auditory capacity (McGuiness, 1976). While clumsier in
the situations involving fine motor performance, they
generally excel in gross total body movements and
skills, especially those requiring fast reaction time
(Burg, 1976). They are particularly superior in
manipulating three-dimensional space, using their right
hemisphere almost exclusively for special tasks.
Females, on the other hand, generally attempt to solve
spatial problems with the left hemisphere of their brain
(abstract/logic/verbal), sometimes causing an
interference phenomenon, a kind of log jamming in which
the use of words to solve a spatial problem results in
slowed, incorrect, or absent responses. Males tend to
explore their environment and life experiences
firsthand. Females, however, typically tend to gain such
knowledge in a more communicative mode, asking others,
taking advantage of others’ experiences, eliminating the
need to personally encounter all the objects in their
environment.
VOCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Males’ ability to focus on abstract language in the left
hemisphere and to solve spatial problems in the right
hemisphere- hemispheric specialization- allows them to
more readily excel in abstract and special manipulation
occupations such as advanced mathematics, engineering,
economics, medical surgery, and computer programming.
On the other hand, females naturally eexcel in subjects
requiring use of both hemispheres: language, family
counseling, the arts, and caregiving (Kimura, 1992). In
making these observations, however it needs to be
emphasized that there are myriad exceptions to the rule
as more and more women pursue and excel in academic
studies and occupations requiring advanced logic and
abstract thinking skills (Kimura, 1993). In the other
direction, one finds a significant number of males who
are leading musicians, artists, caregivers, and family
counselors.
Research continues to delve into just how men and women
process and interpret data, and how we differ in
communication styles. We do know that while nature takes
it’s course and developmental patterns proceed, our
experiences, inclinations, and education also account
for how we hear, who we are, and what we do.
REFERENCES
Bloodstein, Q.A. Handbook on Stuttering, National Easter
Seal: Chicago, 1987.
Burg, A., “Visual Activity as Measured by Dynamic and
Spatial Tests: A Comparative Evaluation, “Journal of
Applied Psychology, No. 50, 1966, pp. 460-466.
Davis, H. and Silverman, R., Hearing and Deafness, Holt,
Rinehart and Winston, Inc. New York, 1970.
Halpren, D., Sex Differences in Cognitive Abilities,
Lawrence Erlbaurm Associates, Publishers: Hillsdale, NJ,
1992.
Hines, M., “Gonadal Hormones and Human Cognitive
Development,” “in hormones, Brain and Behavior in
Vertabrates, ed., Jacques Balthazart, Karger; Basel,
1990, pp.51-63.
Kimura, D.,“Sex Differences in the Brain,” Scientific
American, September, 1992, pp.118-125.
Ley, R., and Bryden, M, “Hemispheric Differences in
Recognizing Faces and Emotions,” in Brain and Language
No.7, 1979.
McGlone, J., “Sex Differences in Human Brain Asymmetry:
A Critical Survey,” in The Behavioral and Brain
Sciences, No. 3, 1980,pp. 215-263.
McGuiness, D., “Away From a Unisex Psychology:
Individual Differences in Visual Perception, No. 5,
1976, pp.279-294.
Moscicki, E., Elkins, E., Baum, H., and McNamara, P.,
“Hearing loss in the elderly: an epiodialogic study of
the Framingham Heart study Cohort,” 1985:6 184-190.
Pool, R., Eve’s Rib: searching for Biological Roots of
Sex Differences, Crown Publishers: New York, 1994.
Springer, S., and Deutch, G., Left Brain, Right Brain,
W.H. Freeman and company: New York, 1989.
U.S. Department of Education, Digest of education
Statistics 1992, Office of Educational Research and
Improvement.
Waber, D., “Sex Differences in Cognition: A Function of
Maturation Rate?” Science, No. 192, 1976, pp. 572-573.
Weinstein,S., “Intensive and Extensive aspects of
Textile Sensitivity as a function of body Part, sex, and
laterality” in The skin Senses, ed, D.R. Kenshalo,
Charles C. Thomas: Springfield , Il, 1968, pp. 195-222.
Wood, F., Flowers, D., and Naylor, C., “Cerebral
Laterality: Theory and Research, ed., Kitterle,
Frederick 1., Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Hillsdale,
NJ., 1991, pp. 103-115.
Dear Dr. Chartrand: Recently, you wrote concerning
hearing loss in men and why it was so important to have
family support in making decisions about obtaining
hearing aids. Why is this such a big issue for men, more
than women?-- Mrs. A. S.
Dear Mrs. J. D.: I’m glad you asked that. For the
genesis of the problem goes back to what makes men and
women different, including their neurological
development at birth and throughout life itself.
You see, males develop their auditory (hearing) ability
slightly later than females, and lose it much earlier.
Hence, females sing in tune at an earlier age, have much
larger vocabularies, and learn foreign language more
easily. They also develop superior fine motor skills,
and their corpus collosums (connective tissue between
the two hemispheres of the brain) start out about 30%
larger than males.
Males make up for this through superior visual and
spatial development. Because of a smaller corpus
collosum, they learn to specialize logic and language in
the left (dominant) hemisphere, and develop spatial
ability exclusively in the right hemisphere. So-called
“women’s intuition” is largely due to their
bi-hemispheric ability in language development.
Males and females experience middle ear infections (OME)
at about the same rate from ages 0-3. But, because of
smaller corpus collosums, young males suffer the
greatest developmental delays when middle ears are
blocked for months and sometimes years at a time. Hence,
better than 90% of learning and language disabilities
are found in males, including attention deficit,
dyslexia, and stuttering.
In the later teen years, males---even those
developmentally delayed---play “catch up” academically
with females, unless psychosocial, cultural, and
behavioral problems stand in their way.
And this the crux of the problem: Males are generally
less sensitive than females in self-assessing cognitive
and auditory deficiencies, which is why few males come
on their own to take care of such problems without
female support. Less than 12% of males with hearing loss
wear hearing aids in the U.S. (much lower penetration
worldwide), while more than 35% of females with hearing
loss wear hearing aids.
The tragic personal loss and costs to society are
stunning, because of a lack of understanding about the
interrelationship between hearing and mental health.
Therefore, it is imperative that we as a society
recognize these influences in human behavior, and find
ways to encourage males who suffer from auditory
(hearing) loss to seek and accept appropriate help.
Until then, it will continue to be a negative drain on
the economy, human relationships, and personal progress. |
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