Gender differences in emotional processing

Initial data analysis (unpublished data) suggests a general agreement with previous research findings that men are more restrictive in their emotionality and less ‘in touch’ with their emotions. However, it should be remembered that the data presented here are the result of a preliminary analysis only. A further, more detailed study is needed to reach any conclusions.

Using data collected from a colorectal cancer group (n= 124), a student population (n=100), a psychological disorders group (n=164), and a normal control group (n=76), differences on the Emotional Processing Scale (EPS) subscales were calculated. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) model was used in order to remove any uncontrolled differences that might be seen as a result of being in any particular group. Probability values, therefore, are related to F ratios.

Results

Significant differences between men and women were found on three of the EPS subscales: The Dissociation subscale (p=0.002), the Avoidance subscale (p=0.05), and the Suppression subscale (p=0.04) after adjusting for group. All differences can be found in Table 1.

Dissociation

Males agreed more strongly with items on the Dissociation subscale than females did. Within this subscale, a distinction can be made between active disengagement (“I detached myself from emotional feelings”) and finding oneself removed from emotional experience (“My emotions felt blunt/dull”). Here, significantly higher scores for males suggests more dissociation from emotion than females.

Avoidance

Females agreed more strongly with the items on the Avoidance subscale than males, an illustrative example of which is, “I tried very hard to avoid things that might make me upset”. A statistically significant difference on this subscale warrants further investigation. Interesting questions here would be related to the impact of higher levels of avoidance behaviour reported by women on psychological functioning.

Suppression

In the male group, scores on the Suppression subscale were significantly higher than in the female group. This suggests that men tried to control their feelings more than women do (“I bottled up my emotions”) and lends support to previous research that found men to be more restrictive of their emotions than women (e.g. Levant, Hirsch, Celectano, Cozzo, Hill, MacEachern, Marty & Schnedeker 1992).

It should be noted at this concluding point that five of the eight subscales on the EPS did not show any significant differences between men and women. Differences in emotional processing, although very large on a specific dimension (Dissociation), should not, when taken as a whole, be over emphasised. It seems that there are differences in the way that men and women process their emotions but perhaps these differences are not as stark as a ‘man as rational’ ‘women as emotional’ position might suggest.

[Click here for Emotional Processing Scores for males and females]

Dorset RDSU
Cornelia House Poole Hospital NHS Trust Longfleet Road Poole Dorset BH15 2JB
Email dawn.stevens@poole.nhs.uk