Newsgroups: sci.virtual-worlds
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!batcomputer!cornell!uw-beaver!milton!hlab
From: erich@eecs.cs.pdx.edu (Erich Stefan Boleyn)
Subject: Re: Where are the Women?
Message-ID: <1991Mar30.024708.29522@milton.u.washington.edu>
Sender: hlab@milton.u.washington.edu (Human Int. Technology Lab)
Organization: Human Interface Technology Lab, Univ. of Wash., Seattle.
References: <18995@milton.u.washington.edu> <willdye.669939223@typhoon> 
Date: 27 Mar 91 18:59:43 GMT
Approved: cyberoid@milton.u.washington.edu



wiley!jay@uunet.UU.NET (Jay Nelson) writes:

>In article <willdye.669939223@typhoon> willdye@typhoon.unl.edu writes:

>                              ...It's not enough to just cleanse
>the publications so they don't look like they were written by a
>particular group, the evaluation of effectiveness needs to include
>users from the expected population.  I've heard that women have their
>right brain and left brain connections wired differently then men.  It
                      ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>is quite possible that some of the direct sensory input devices will
>have a different effect on women.

   Whoa!  As a student of Neuroscience, I think that I should set the
record straight as to what the current state of knowledge is about this.

   Yes, there is an observable difference in brain configuration,
the frontal lobes of male mammalian brains are slightly enlarged,
and the right side (?) of the female mammalian brains are slightly
enlarged (I'm not sure which side, but I do know that it is the one
traditionally associated with language).  The cause of this is not known,
but considering what current studies show of the adaptability of mammalian
neural tissue (and consequently brain structure), the cause is likely both
genetic and environmental.  Some studies do seem to show a component of
genetic basis for differences in tendencies in men and women, but also show
that there is a tremendous social bias.

   Upon careful thought, it seems unlikely that the differences in perception
are noticable.  However, considering social bias, there may well be a bigger
difference in the importance and interest attached to it, but we know that
already, don't we?  ;-)

   Erich

             "I haven't lost my mind; I know exactly where it is."
     / --  Erich Stefan Boleyn  -- \       --=> *Mad Genius wanna-be* <=--
    { Honorary Grad. Student (Math) }--> Internet E-mail: <erich@cs.pdx.edu>
     \  Portland State University  /        Phone #:  (503) 246-6120

