Brain Scan in Blue

Women more likely to perceive thoughts separate from the brain

Women are more likely to perceive thoughts as separate from the brain, Northeastern research shows.

New research by a Northeastern scientist says men and women differ in how they perceive bodies and minds, with women being more likely to see the mind as operating independently of body systems.

“How we see minds and bodies depends on whether we’re males or females,” says Iris Berent, a Northeastern psychology professor and author of the study published in Scientific Reports.

“What this means is that women believe thoughts are less likely to be part of the body and less likely to show up on a brain scan—which reflects the body—and more likely to persist without the body, after the person dies,” Berent says.

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Psychology
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