Men do have trouble hearing women, scientists find

[J13578]

Men do have trouble hearing women, scientists find

LONDON (AFP) - Men who are accused of never listening by women now have an excuse -- women's voices are more difficult for men to listen to than other men's, a report said.

The Daily Mail, quoting findings published in the specialist magazineNeuroImage, said researchers at Sheffield university in northern England discovered startling differences in the way the brain responds to male and female sounds.

Men deciphered female voices using the auditory part of the brain that processes music, while male voices engaged a simpler mechanism, it said.

The Mail quoted researcher Michael Hunter as saying, "The female voice is actually more complex than the male voice, due to differences in the size and shape of the vocal cords and larynx between men and women, and also due to women having greater natural 'melody' in their voices.

"This causes a more complex range of sound frequencies than in a male voice."

The findings may help explain why people suffering hallucinations usually hear male voices, the report added, as the brain may find it much harder to conjure up a false female voice accurately than a false male voice.

On the funny side, with this:

"Men deciphered female voices using the auditory part of the brain that processes music, while male voices engaged a simpler mechanism, it said."

We know now that when we talk, it's literally "music to their ears"

On the serious side,

"The findings may help explain why people suffering hallucinations usually hear male voices, the report added, as the brain may find it much harder to conjure up a false female voice accurately than a false male voice."

I find this very intriguing...

[keita]

WOW!!!

lilah said:

I find this very intriguing...

Me too, Sis, me too...on so many levels!

Here's just one example:

I've been seeking God and studying in preparation to teach from Jeremiah 9:17-25. One of the very things I've been asking God about is the significance of the female voice in that particular portion of scripture.

I'm excited to hear of a scientific "discovery" that just may preach!

Now that's just for starters so PLEASE Lilah, share your thoughts on this article!

[giantsdodie]

Sorry I dont buy that article. I think the major difference isnt the tonal quality of the voice but the way in which men and women process information.

[keita]

I think those may be two related but different issues.

At the very least, couldn't both be possible and relevant factors in male/female communication?

What are you basing your rejection of the article on?

[giantsdodie]

Um based on the fact that human hearing pics things up best in the 1-4K range and that the range that most women and children actually tend to talk in.

And I just think its a lot of hooey. Any test or study can draw any conclusion. I would like to see how the test was constructed.

[keita]

giantsdodie said:

Um based on the fact that human hearing pics things up best in the 1-4K range and that the range that most women and children actually tend to talk in.

Hmmm. I wonder if these researchers considered that.

And I just think its a lot of hooey.

LOL! Well, that was plain!

Any test or study can draw any conclusion.

Now that's very true.

I would like to see how the test was constructed.

I'll probably be looking into it further so maybe we'll find out!

[keita]

Here's a link which offers detail about the study and its findings.

Looking further into this actually made it more intriguing to me!

[J13578]

I agree that a lot of scientific discoveries should be taken with more than a grain of salt. If nothing else because, very often, they tend to "discover" what was already there all along.

I am not an expert, but I have read that psychology has acknowledged that the brain and the mind are two separate entities. By doing that, they have open the door - for themselves - to go further and investigate beyond the physical - brain - into what is for them still unchartered territory: the mind... Some of them even dare to call it the soul...
In my humble opinion, what first impacts us is the tonal quality - sound - in a physical sense, which is then processed by the - male or female - mind.

This is an excerpt of an essay that I read about the power of speech:

"...This should not come as a surprise to anyone who is familiar with the latest findings of nuclear physics. According to the latest theories of sub-atomic particles, the smallest conceivable forms of matter are called "super strings."

This super-tiny form of matter, millions of which make up a mere single sub-atomic particle are said to be in the form of little strings. What makes matter bond together and to form different patterns is how these super strings are said to vibrate.

ln other words, the super strings are like the strings on a guitar or violin. When they are plucked music is made and sound is formed. Thus when these super strings vibrate, sound is formed and matter is created. So then, what vibrates the super strings?
I don't know if the physicists have discovered it yet, it is the power of thought.

We see here a lesson, the importance of which is corroborated by both science and mysticism. The sounds we make are the words that come out of our mouths. Our words are never empty words. We never speak merely for the sake of making sounds. We speak to express what is on our minds. Thus, our words are always connected to our thoughts.

Now here arises a serious problem. If our thoughts are not pure and holy, then neither will be our words. Thus when we speak combining impure words and impure thoughts, what are we creating? God created a universe with His form of speech. Do we, with our form of speech, destroy the universe?

Do not underestimate your own power of speech, our speech creates many things. It can create joy or it can create anger. What we say can start a war or avoid one. Speech and words, whether in spoken or written form are the most powerful weapons in the world.

Indeed, even the magical word "Abracadabra" reveals this lesson.Unknown to most, the word"Abracadabra" is actually a Hebrew phrase, which means "I create (A'bra) what (ca) I speak (dab'ra)."

ln light of all this, we understand now very well why the words we speak have tremendous power. Therefore, when we say that we will do something, our words are creating that.

ln order to avoid the misuse of speech, we must unite proper thought to our speech."

It is possible that we may not always be aware of what we hear, for lack of training of our "ears". Like, if we applied that to "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God". If hearing comes by the word of God, then the word of God "unstops" our spiritual ears and allows us from there on to "hear" Him? If the Holy Spirit searches the mind of God, then he allows us to "hear" God's thoughts?

For the wailing women: the fact is that I lived among cultures where they still have them, they actually hire them for funerals.... I've never heard or seen "wailing men". I have witnessed for myself the effect of the constant wailing and, it's true, it draws abundant tears from all present on the scene, as written in that scripture. It shows the impact of the constant sound of wailing on the mind - soul? - so, it would make sense that God chose this way to draw the men's attention to what was already going on and yet to come, and yield to the prophetic word.

Again, I am not an expert

[J13578]

Here are some links where more information can be found about studies in this specific area:

www.selfgrowth.com/articles/thompson4.html
www.acfnewsource.org/science/mood_music.html
www.zainea.com/mbrain.htm

I find the conclusion of the first article very interesting.

I do not consider those things a distraction from God. In fact, when science finally catches up with what we accepted by faith and was revealed to us by the Holy Spirit, it's time for more praise an worship, time for us to be even more in awe of Him who, indeed, has wonderfully made us.

[keita]

lilah said:

I do not consider those things a distraction from God. In fact, when science finally catches up with what we accepted by faith and was revealed to us by the Holy Spirit, it's time for more praise an worship, time for us to be even more in awe of Him who, indeed, has wonderfully made us.

AMEN!

[this2shallpass]

I'm not speaking scientific or anything. Been married to long, 2 times. Men hear what they want to hear. Start talking about spending some of their money and watch how fast they hear. Or not cooking dinner, going out to dinner.....Men hear what they need to hear. We just think they not listening, but those ears pick up real quick on key phrases, like money, food, shopping, money, money, spending money, bills, cost, money, dinner is ready Oh yea, they hear just fine.

My spouse just shreaded ALL of my credit cards. We "discussed" this for hours, as he "demanded" I hand over the credit cards. Did he hear my words of protest - yes he did; did he hear my screaming - yes he did; Did my protesting and screaming change his mind - NO.

When I mentioned the "D(ivorce) word - playing my last card - his tone of voice changed. He started to "preach" logic to me, to tell me the money we would save without those evil credit cards. Suddenly, his words are soft, caring, loving. HE JUST WANTED TO END THE ARGUMENT AND SHRED MY CREDIT CARDS - He won. I cried Cried

Haven't been to the mall since April - On strike from the mall - Not my man

Was he hearing me - yes. But he had already made up his mind what had to be done.

Was I hearing him - NO, NO, NO. Untill his voice tone changed. (Suddenly, his words are soft, caring, loving)

HE JUST WANTED ME TO TAKE THOSE CREDIT CARDS OUT OF MY PURSE. And I did - he was right. I just didn't want to hear it. The entire "conversation" was like a piercing, scratching sound to my ears.

Hope this dosen't change the subject.

[keita ns]

this2shallpass said:

I'm not speaking scientific or anything. Been married to long, 2 times. Men hear what they want to hear. Start talking about spending some of their money and watch how fast they hear. Or not cooking dinner, going out to dinner.....Men hear what they need to hear. We just think they not listening, but those ears pick up real quick on key phrases, like money, food, shopping, money, money, spending money, bills, cost, money, dinner is ready Oh yea, they hear just fine.

LOL!! Now, I do know authentic "sistawisdom" when I hear it, and this, is that! LOL!!!

...Hope this dosen't change the subject.

I think your post is very much on topic and I thank you for the blessing!

I've also thought about how "man's" ability, trust level, and desire to hear "woman", while originally and perfectly intended, designed, created and given by God, might have been impacted by their fall in the garden and their resulting separation.

I think it's interesting that both the "self(ish)-defense" the "man" offers to God for his role in their disobedience, and the serious offense that God took to it, involve the "man" having listened to the "woman". It just seems highly likely to me that one result of all that followed would be that this "man" wasn't, and would not be, trying to hear an-y-thing from his "woman", at least not for a looooooooooooooooong time, and only then with a whole lot of healing and restoration love. And while I know it might not be "politically correct" to say, I nevertheless do believe repairing the disconnect remains God-ordained "women's work", and that women of God are therefore equipped and empowered by His Spirit to do it.

[keita ns]

lilah said:

Here are some links where more information can be found about studies in this specific area:

www.selfgrowth.com/articles/thompson4.html
www.acfnewsource.org/science/mood_music.html
www.zainea.com/mbrain.htm

I find the conclusion of the first article very interesting.

Me too...

...we eventually reach a state of reality where the smallest particles of matter, when broken further, do not yield smaller particles which we can put names on, but rather a universal energy matrix of relationships of vibration patterns. In actuality there is nothing solid in the universe at all. Consciousness itself is a vibration pattern.

I love it when "science", whatever its intention, ultimately serves as greater illumination of the Word.

"God is Spirit..." (John 4:24)

I do not consider those things a distraction from God. In fact, when science finally catches up with what we accepted by faith and was revealed to us by the Holy Spirit, it's time for more praise an worship, time for us to be even more in awe of Him who, indeed, has wonderfully made us.

Amen, Sis!

Btw, the piano background on that third link was beautiful!

[keita]

Jeremiah 3:17-20
"This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Consider now! Call for the wailing women to come; send for the most skillful of them. Let them come quickly and wail over us till our eyes overflow with tears and water streams from our eyelids. The sound of wailing is heard from Zion: 'How ruined we are! How great is our shame! We must leave our land because our houses are in ruins.'" Now, O women, hear the word of the Lord; open your ears to the words of his mouth. Teach your daughters how to wail; teach one another a lament..."

Did you know that among some, there is an old teaching which holds that Jeremiah, aka "the weeping prophet", had a mother who was a "wailing woman"...?

Jeremiah 9:1
"Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears! I would weep day and night for the slain of my people..."