Science of the Sexes

From LifeWire.com:

Science Can Help Explain the Behavioral Differences Between Men and Women

While the differences between the sexes drive some couples crazy, they don’t HAVE to. Researchers say that science can explain a lot of the behaviors that are typically male or female – the ones that widen the gender gap. So, here are some of those behavioral explanations:

• Behavior #1: Women obsess about every little thing. They love to get into the details during conversations, while men seem a bit blasé to everything but the bottom line. Well, there’s a good reason according to Robert Schwarz, the director of the Mars and Venus Counseling and Wellness Center in Pennsylvania. He says women relieve stress by talking – so the more details they share, the better they feel. For women, conversation produces the hormone serotonin, which enhances mood and wards off depression. Men are action oriented and problem-solvers. So they tend to only talk about things or bring up a problem if they want to search for a solution. That “eureka” moment of problem-solving increases the level of dopamine in a man’s brain, a pleasure-inducing chemical. That explains why men will wait until it's absolutely necessary to stop and ask for directions. They’re waiting for the “eureka” moment.
  
  
• Next behavior: Men hate to go shopping. The truth is that men do enjoy shopping – when they get to “hunt” for a specific item. Schwarz says men are task-oriented. They buy what they want and leave. Women, on the other hand, enjoy “grazing” for things. That’s why men and women shopping together isn’t the best combination.
  
  
• One last Mars/Venus difference: Men are impervious to cold, while women always want to turn up the thermostat. Well, yes. According to the Mayo Clinic, women are more sensitive to cold than men are. On average, women are smaller than men, so their metabolic rate tends to be lower. This means women’s bodies generate less heat than men’s. Women also tend to have less fat on their upper bodies and around their waists, so they have less insulation. They also have less muscle mass to help keep them warm. So guys, if you think your woman wants to cuddle up to you to get lovey-dovey, the truth is – she probably just wants to get WARM.