Why Men May Find It Difficult to Listen to Women

Whether it’s a boyfriend, a brother, or a friend — we all know a guy who is a bad listener. And no, it’s not because they’re bored. There are actually studies that show there are several reasons why they struggle in this area. It seems that men’s brains simply hear the female voice differently, so perhaps we can let them off the hook this time.

Bright Side found some facts about the male brain and their listening skills to share with you today.

Female voices make men’s brains work harder.

One study reveals that men react differently to female voices. Men have less activity in some parts of their brain when other men speak. In fact, men’s brains had to work harder to decipher and understand what the women were saying. This means that men can find it more difficult to understand the meanings and emotions of what women are saying.

Women’s voices are less authoritative.

It’s been found that the size of a woman’s vocal cords and larynx is important as higher-pitched people are taken less seriously. In fact, the study tells us that we trust people with lower voices more and that we prefer them in leadership roles. This is one reason why men may not listen as much to women as they do to their peers.

Women’s voices are more complex.

The difference between female and male voices is crucial here. When women talk, they use many more sounds than men and tend to speak in a more melodic way. These 2 factors may make it tricky for men’s brains to quickly understand what women are saying as there’s more to decipher.

Bonus: It’s a myth that women talk more.

The stereotype that women talk more than men is an urban myth, according to research. In fact, it seems that men and women talk roughly the same amount and the context is just as important. The research showed that in some circumstances, men spoke more than women, and in others, women more than men. So it’s probably time to put this stereotype to bed.

How do you feel about this research? Do you know any guys who are good listeners?