A recent study confirms what many women have long known – men are not as good at listening as they are at talking. Conducted across 13 global populations, the research found that men have significantly less sensitive hearing than women, with women showing an average of two decibels more sensitivity.
The study, led by Dr. Patricia Balaresque, analyzed the cochlea’s sensitivity to different frequencies and amplitudes of sound, revealing that hearing is more influenced by sex than age. The researchers discovered that men have slight structural differences in their cochlear anatomy compared to women, which may contribute to this difference.
While a two-decibel difference might seem insignificant, experts argue it can be crucial in noisy environments. Women’s brains are also better at processing information, with higher performance in hearing tests and speech perception.
The study highlights the impact of environment on hearing sensitivity, finding that people living in forest areas had the highest sensitivity, while those at high altitudes had the lowest. The researchers suggest that environmental adaptations may play a role in these findings.
This research challenges existing assumptions about hearing and emphasizes the importance of considering both biological and environmental factors when studying hearing loss and individual differences in noise tolerance.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-14547229/Scientists-confirm-men-really-DONT-listen.html