Please help, need non-gendered terminology for thinking styles

[Jones3A]

In scientific language, I'm talking about -

"The "male brain" is a defined psychometrically as those individuals in whom systemising is significantly better than empathising" - [and ergo that female brains being generally speaking the opposite.]

or

"male brains are structured to facilitate connectivity between perception and coordinated action, whereas female brains are designed to facilitate communication between analytical and intuitive processing modes."

Can anyone think of or suggest another way to describe these contrasting styles/traits/strengths/approaches, in a way that doesn't cause consternation due to gender/sexism based implications?

YABU - stick to the male/female language, it's scientifically used (albeit also scientifically contested!)

YANBU - and I do/do not have a super alternative for you.

Eh? Can’t you just say one type of brain and another type of brain?

Stuck to the scientific facts.

I too teach about a subject that is specifically sex dependent, and I only use scientific language to describe these elements.

Are there just two types of brains though?

Can you call one 'Green Brain' and the other 'Blue Brain' and give their characteristics?

Why isn't there an orange, yellow, and red brain though?

I’m slightly confused as to whether you want a better phrase for a systematising brain or a better phrase for a brain in a man’s head.

maybe systematising and intuiting

@SmellyScrambler because colleagues are getting offended, b/c they think it's controversial/sexist

Honestly, I don’t think you should pander to the perpetually offended. This is clearly a scientific paper about the physiological differences between male and female brains. Anything that shies away from the biological truth would be doing everyone concerned a disservice by effectively covering up the purpose of the sentence. Call a spade a spade.

@DemonicCaveMaggot oh no certainly not just 2 types, just in this instance we're talking about 2 fairly clear styles of approaching things that lend themselves to this gendered brain theory. I don't think abstract names would work as we'd all have to interpret the definition.

Sounds like cod-science at best.

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-00677-x

@Genevieva we're not writing about it ourselves, just me using the scientific writings here, to support that this isn't casual sexism but actual theory based language use!

Sorry that’s not what I was asking. I don’t understand whether you want a phrase for brains which are better at systematising (irrespective of whose head they are in) or for actual male brains.

@GrumpyPanda well quite, hence why we're open to a better alternative

There's no such thing as a male or female brain, however a stereotypical 'male brain' is said to be defined psychometrically as being significantly better at systemising rather than empathising.

@SmellyScrambler sorry, yes the former, alt language for systematising typologies, not literal brains of men 😊

yes this

not quite, we need a term we all understand for these 2 simple profiles

Logical/empathic

What about brains that identify as male

I'd just say "systemising brain" and "empathising brain". But more importantly, I'd emphasise that the claim this linked to sex of gender is controversial and there are massive overlaps between the two types. Most people are 60%S and 40%E or vice versa, not 100% of one type.

I think it is an oversimplification anyway. I know people who are pretty systematic but also highly intuitive, also people who are random in both areas, and people who in some circumstances are systematic and others intuitive/creative.

It used to be called left-brain right-brain until that was shown to be pseudoscience

I was struck by a psychology tutor's use of the notion of working with 'things' vs working with people. That was decades ago though!

And what is the context for this? Because unless you are writing a psychology essay on why this theory is nonsense, I'd just say it is nonsense and move on.

The big 5 model of personality traits is a much better way to understand individual differences if that is what you are trying to do.

Saying that men are better at systemising and women are better at emphasising is sexist?!

I know empathetic men and women who are good at systemising?

And they'd not be wrong!

Scientific writings are not free of casual sexism.