I am a hermaphrodite
Just done the BBC what sex is your brain test, and I am dead in the middle between male and female!
The average male score is +50, and the average female score is -50 and I am right at 0. I take it as a sign I am good at both male and female brain tasks 🙂
My scores for each part are over the break.
Part 1
Angles
This task tested your ability to identify the angle of a line by matching it with its twin. This is a spatial task, which looks at how you picture space.
Your score: 18 out of 20
Average score for men: 15.1 out of 20
Average score for women: 13.3 out of 20
What does your result suggest?
If you scored 0 – 12: You have more of a female brain. Scientists believe that people with a female brain find it more difficult to judge the slope of a line because they’re not wired for spatial tasks. In past studies, 65 per cent of people who scored in this range were women.
If you scored 13 – 17: You found this test neither hard nor easy. This suggests your brain has male and female traits when it comes to spatial ability.
If you scored 18 – 20: You have more of a male brain. On average, men outperform women in this task and those with more mathematical knowledge tend to score quite high as well. In past studies, 60 per cent of the people in this range were men.
Interestingly, men’s testosterone levels fluctuate through the seasons and studies have shown that men’s scores are lower in the spring, when their testosterone levels are at their lowest.
Do our cave dwelling ancestors offer us any clues about why men and women score differently on this task? Find out more.
Spot the difference
This task tested your ability to identify which objects changed position. You lost points, if you incorrectly identified objects.
Your score: 100%
Average score for men: 39%
Average score for women: 46%
What does your score suggest?
If you scored between 0 – 33%: You may have more of a male brain. Scientists say men tend to under perform in this task. The corpus callosum, the part of the brain that links the right and left hemispheres, is a fifth larger in women. This means women can process visual and other signals at the same time more easily than men. There is also a theory that oestrogen levels in women give them an added advantage in spatial memory.
If you scored between 34 – 66%: You may have a balanced female-male brain.
If you scored between 67 – 100%: Those with a female-type brain generally score in this range. Your ability to remember where objects are may serve as an advantage to you when you’re trying to find your way around places. You’re more capable of recalling landmarks to get from one place to another.
Find out more about our spatial abilities.
Part 2
Hands
You said your left thumb was on top when you clasped your hands together.
Right thumb on top: This suggests the left half of your brain is dominant. Many studies have tried to establish whether there is a relationship between handedness and brain dominance. Some scientists believe that if you are left brain dominant, you would be more verbal and analytical.
Left thumb on top: This suggests the right half of your brain is dominant. Some studies theorise that as a right brain dominant person, you may excel in visual, spatial and intuitive processes.
However, these theories are debatable and leave much to be said about the small percentage of people who are ambidextrous.
Find out why right-brained people may be better fighters and artists.
Part 3
Emotions and Systems
This task looked at whether you prefer to empathise or systemise.
Empathising
Your empathy score is: 9 out of 20
Average score for men: 7.9 out of 20
Average score for women: 10.6 out of 20
What does your result suggest?
Empathisers are better at accurately judging other people’s emotions and responding appropriately. If you scored 15 and above, you are very empathic and would be an ideal person to comfort people in a time of crisis. Women in general are better at empathising.
Systemising
Your systemising score is: 16 out of 20
Average score for men: 12.5 out of 20
Average score for women: 8.0 out of 20
What does your result suggest?
Systemisers prefer to investigate how systems work. A system can be a road map, flat pack furniture, or a mathematical equation