Scientists Discover Clear Evidence of Gender Differences in Humor Perception
A research team at Stanford University monitored the brain activity of men and women while they watched comedic cartoons. They found that areas of the brain associated with language processing, memory, and generating reward sensations were more active in women.
This study may help in understanding depression in women. It also enhances the understanding of health conditions such as transient paralysis, which involves sudden loss of control over movements related to emotions.
The lead researcher, Allan Reiss, stated: “The results help explain previous research showing that men and women differ in how they engage with and enjoy comedy.”
The prefrontal cortex, responsible for language processing and memory, is known to play a role in stimulating feelings of amusement. The Stanford research team demonstrated that the medial reward center—responsible for creating positive feelings associated with events like earning money—was also activated by humor.
The study utilized complex scanning technology to measure the brain activity of 10 men and 10 women as they viewed 70 black-and-white comic strips.
Researchers found similarities in how male and female brains reacted to humor. However, certain brain regions were activated more in females, including the left prefrontal cortex and the medial reward center.
The team suggests this indicates that women focus more on the language of humor, employing analytical thinking more when decoding jokes. They also believe that women have lower expectations for humorous stories, so when they find something funny, their pleasure centers become more activated than those of men.
Professor Reiss noted: “Women have lower expectations for rewards, in this case, humor, so when they encounter a funny story, they experience greater satisfaction.”
He also suggested that the heightened sensitivity of the reward center in women could explain why they are more prone to depression.
M.T. (according to BBC)
