Several studies have shown that females mature faster than their male counterparts regarding emotional and brain development according to the journal Cerebral Cortex.
Another research found that girls’ brains tend to have more mature gray matter and white matter development patterns than those of boys. These patterns are associated with higher-order cognitive functions and emotional regulation.
Studies have consistently found that women score higher on measures of emotional intelligence compared to men, while behavioural research has shown that adolescent girls tend to exhibit more advanced social and emotional behaviours than boys of the same age. Additionally, educational studies have found that girls tend to outperform boys in school during their teenage years, which is partly attributed to their earlier maturation.
So, can 30-year-old women be considered wiser than men of the same age? This is keeping in mind that individuals aged 30 and above are expected to have their lives together and lead comfortable lives.
Speaking to Counseling Psychologist Ms Audrey Oluyole, Nairobi News sought to understand if any psychological and social factors contribute to perceptions of wisdom levels among women and men.
“The term wisdom usually refers to the application of knowledge in the attempt to influence the fundamental problems of human life and meet the consequential difficulties. Life experience is necessary to increase knowledge. People usually gain such life experience during a lifelong lasting between 15 years and 90 years. However, people can already have such life experience after 30 years,” she told Nairobi News.
Ms Oluyole added that according to traditional views, wisdom was found to be defined by 6 aspects, “that’s reasoning ability, sagacity- which is the ability to make good judgments, learning from ideas and the environment, judgment, expeditious use of information and perspicacity which is the quality of having a ready insight into things. A large overlap was found between intelligence and wisdom, though sagacity was found to be specific to wisdom.”
“According to the psychological factors, women often score higher on measures of empathy and emotional intelligence, which are associated with wisdom. These abilities allow them to better understand and navigate social relationships and emotional dynamics,” said Ms Oluyole.
She also opined that responsibilities and coping mechanisms develop effectively among women due to societal expectations and responsibilities, thus enhancing their problem-solving skills and resilience.
“Women are often encouraged to be more introspective and self aware which can contribute to a greater self understanding and wise decision making for the social factors. We have the social socialization and gender roles whereby women are frequently socialized to be caretakers which can lead to the development of nurturing behaviors, patience and long term thinking, all of which are associated with wisdom. In terms of milestones, women may experience significant life milestones earlier such as parenthood which can accelerate personal growth and maturity. Women also tend to have a stronger support social support network, providing them with diverse perspective and advice that can enhance their wisdom,” added Ms Oluyole.
She observed that women have higher emotional intelligence, leading to better emotional regulation, empathy and social skills. These abilities, according to Ms Oluyole, contribute to better interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution.
“Men, however, may develop emotional intelligence differently, often empathizing, sorry, emphasizing aspects like self regulation and assertiveness with life experiences. Women often face unique challenges related to gender roles, work life balance, and societal expectations, which can foster resilience and adaptability. Men might have different experiences shaped by societal expectations of assertiveness, career focus and independence, which can influence their perspective on wisdom. How does this impact wisdom?” asked Ms Oluyole.
She went on, “Well, with women having a higher emotional intelligence and diverse life experience, this often results in them being perceived as more understanding, compassionate and reflective and reflective traits as which are normally associated with wisdom. Men also experience men’s experiences and emotional intelligence development might focus more on their achievements and assertiveness which can be perceived differently. In terms of wisdom with the biological factors, we’ll look at the brain development whereby women’s brain mature earlier than men’s with their prefrontal cortex development involved which is involved in decision making and social behavior typically completing earlier in women. Hormonal differences such as higher estrogen levels in women can affect mood and emotional processing potentially influencing wisdom related traits like empathy and emotional,”
At the end of the day, are there any biological or neurological differences that might influence the maturity and wisdom of 30-year-old women compared to men?
“With their neurological differences, studies suggest that women’s brains might have greater inter-hemispheric connectivity facilitating better interrogation, integration sorry of cognitive and emotional information. This can enhance problem solving and social understanding. Women and men may respond to stress differently neurologically. Women often show greater activation in brain regions associated with emotional regulation, which can contribute to more effectiveness in effective stress management and decision making. This biological and neurological differences can contribute to the perception of women as more mature and wiser as they may have better developed skills in areas crucial for wisdom such as emotional regulation, empathy and social understanding,” explained Ms Oluyole.
In conclusion, she said, “The perception that 30 year old women are wiser than their male counterparts can be attributed to various social, emotional and psychological factors. Women often mature faster due to societal expectation and responsibilities placed on them from a young age. Additionally, they tend to develop stronger emotional intelligence enabled, enabling them to navigate complex interpersonal dynamics with greater ease. This contribution, this combination of maturity and emotional acumen often translates into what is perceived as wisdom. However, it is important to recognize that wisdom is not inherited or tied to gender.”
