Study: Women's Emotional Sensitivity Is a Product of Practice, Not an Innate Gift

A new analysis by researchers indicates that women are indeed better at understanding other people's feelings and responding to them, but this skill is not innate and instead develops through continual practice. The findings were published in a journal of the American Psychological Association. The result matters because the widespread belief in women's "natural" sensitivity shapes how society values emotional labor at home and at work.

What was analyzed

The researchers combined data collected over almost 30 years in 76 countries. In total, the analysis included test results from more than 600,000 people.

Where the differences lie

Women's advantage does not extend to every aspect of emotional intelligence. It appears in the ability to notice, understand and support the feelings of others. When it comes to recognizing and managing one's own emotions, men and women performed equally.

Among children, the gap between boys and girls is far smaller than among adults, and over the past 30 years this gender gap has steadily narrowed.

The explanation

The scientists point mainly to upbringing and social habits. When talking with daughters, parents use a richer vocabulary to describe feelings, and encourage them to share their emotions and pay attention to the moods of others. Boys, by contrast, are more often taught to suppress their feelings. Because girls have many times more opportunities from early childhood to practice reading other people's moods, it becomes second nature to them.

The researchers stress that anyone can develop emotional intelligence, and men can learn these skills just as successfully as women. However, as long as women's sensitivity and empathy are regarded merely as an innate trait, they remain an invisible and unpaid burden, both in the family and at work, rather than being recognized as an important and valuable quality.