SCIENCE

Notebook

Hailing From the Same Planet

Men and women may not be from such totally different planets after all, according to a new analysis.

For a report published in the September issue of the journal American Psychologist, Janet Shibley Hyde of the University of Wisconsin in Madison reviewed 46 "meta-analyses" of research into psychological differences between the sexes conducted over the last 20 years.

"The mass media and the general public are captivated by findings of gender differences," wrote Hyde, citing popular books such as John Gray's "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus." "I advance a very different view."

Hyde found that, from childhood through adulthood, males and females are much more alike than different for most psychological variables, including cognitive abilities, verbal and nonverbal communication, social traits such as leadership, and measures of well-being such as self-esteem. The only differences Hyde could find were in some physical abilities, such as throwing, some aspects of sexuality, and perhaps heightened physical aggression among men, although even that was unclear.

The widespread misconception that men and women are so different can have profound adverse consequences, Hyde said.

"It is time to consider the costs of overinflated claims of gender differences," Hyde wrote. "Arguably, they cause harm in numerous realms, including women's opportunities in the workplace, couple conflict and communication, and analyses of self-esteem problems among adolescents."

-- Rob Stein

Fetuses Seem to Cry at Noise

Fetuses appear to cry when disturbed, according to research that could overturn longstanding assumptions about behavior in the womb.

Researchers made the unexpected discovery while using ultrasound imagery to document fetuses' reactions to brief noises. They noted that some fetuses as young as 28 weeks responded with a series of intense inhalations and exhalations, an opening of the jaw, stiffening of the tongue and depression of the chest. This activity typically ended after about 20 seconds with an exhalation and a settling, often followed by a few mouth movements and a swallow.

"You can even see the chin and the bottom lip quiver," said Ed Mitchell of the University of Auckland in New Zealand, who with two coworkers described their observations in the September issue of Archives of Disease in Childhood: Fetal and Neonatal Edition. "I cannot believe it is anything but crying."