The Briefing Room

General Category => Science, Technology and Knowledge => Topic started by: quidnunc on February 20, 2013, 08:10:40 pm

Title: Why Women Talk More Than Men: Language Protein Uncovered
Post by: quidnunc on February 20, 2013, 08:10:40 pm: Why Women Talk More Than Men: Language Protein Uncovered

You know all the times that men complain about women talking too much? Apparently there's a biological explanation for the reason why women are chattier than men. Scientists have discovered that women possess higher levels of a "language protein" in their brains, which could explain why females are so talkative.

Previous research has shown that women talk almost three times as much as men. In fact, an average woman notches up 20,000 words in a day, which is about 13,000 more than the average man. In addition, women generally speak more quickly and devote more brainpower to speaking. Yet before now, researchers haven't been able to biologically explain why this is the case.

Now, they can. New findings conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and published in The Journal of Neuroscience show that a certain protein may be the culprit.

-snip-

(Catherine Griffin in the Science World Report, February 20, 2013)
http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/5073/20130220/why-women-talk-more-men-language-protein.htm
Title: Re: Why Women Talk More Than Men: Language Protein Uncovered
Post by: Oceander on February 20, 2013, 10:03:25 pm: So why would such a difference - if real - exist?
Title: Re: Why Women Talk More Than Men: Language Protein Uncovered
Post by: Rapunzel on February 20, 2013, 10:24:58 pm: a language protein, eh... so I have an excuse after all...
Title: Re: Why Women Talk More Than Men: Language Protein Uncovered
Post by: EC on February 20, 2013, 10:45:59 pm: Quote from: Oceander on February 20, 2013, 10:03:25 pm
So why would such a difference - if real - exist?

Different roles. It was to women's advantage to be able to communicate clearly and well with each other as gatherers, less important to men as hunters. Two totally different skill sets are needed for those two tasks.
Title: Re: Why Women Talk More Than Men: Language Protein Uncovered
Post by: Cincinnatus on February 20, 2013, 10:49:07 pm: I always thought it was due to the fact girls mature more quickly than boys until about puberty. As a result they develop language skills and handwriting ability sooner than boys.

Just a theory.
Title: Re: Why Women Talk More Than Men: Language Protein Uncovered
Post by: Oceander on February 20, 2013, 10:50:07 pm: Quote from: EC on February 20, 2013, 10:45:59 pm
Different roles. It was to women's advantage to be able to communicate clearly and well with each other as gatherers, less important to men as hunters. Two totally different skill sets are needed for those two tasks.

However, that same aspect doesn't come into play in that way in rats, for example, so I'm not sure that explains it.
Title: Re: Why Women Talk More Than Men: Language Protein Uncovered
Post by: EC on February 20, 2013, 10:58:52 pm: Quote from: Oceander on February 20, 2013, 10:50:07 pm
However, that same aspect doesn't come into play in that way in rats, for example, so I'm not sure that explains it.

It does. In rats, according to the report, it is the males who have far higher levels of the protein. That would make sense since most rats preserve their territory/ food sources/ right to breed by threatening or placating other males verbally rather than actual fighting. Female rats are comparatively mute.
It would be interesting to have a comparison with something like, say chimpanzees, where both sexes require the same tool set for survival.
Title: Re: Why Women Talk More Than Men: Language Protein Uncovered
Post by: Bigun on February 20, 2013, 11:03:57 pm: Quote from: Rapunzel on February 20, 2013, 10:24:58 pm
a language protein, eh... so I have an excuse after all...

I had no idea as to WHY they did but also no doubt at all that they DID.

;>)
Title: Re: Why Women Talk More Than Men: Language Protein Uncovered
Post by: DCPatriot on February 20, 2013, 11:09:45 pm: Look....male birds are the ones with the dazzling plumage.

The females are brown-wrappers. So, to get noticed....they 'talk' a lot! :tongue2:
Title: Re: Why Women Talk More Than Men: Language Protein Uncovered
Post by: Rapunzel on February 20, 2013, 11:14:10 pm: Quote from: DCPatriot on February 20, 2013, 11:09:45 pm
Look....male birds are the ones with the dazzling plumage.

The females are brown-wrappers. So, to get noticed....they 'talk' a lot! :tongue2:

~LOL~ my husband had these long thick eyelashes and big blue eyes, he used to joke that the male of all the species got the natural good looks and us females got the cosmetics.. look at the Mallard Ducks.
Title: Re: Why Women Talk More Than Men: Language Protein Uncovered
Post by: mystery-ak on February 20, 2013, 11:19:30 pm: Quote from: DCPatriot on February 20, 2013, 11:09:45 pm
Look....male birds are the ones with the dazzling plumage.

The females are brown-wrappers. So, to get noticed....they 'talk' a lot! :tongue2:

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