Sex Differences In Perception Research Articles

A thematic analysis of the perceptions of reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance as a potential family planning method in the United Kingdom.

This exploratory study aimed to look into public perceptions of Reversible Inhibition of Sperm Under Guidance (RISUG) as a family planning method in the United Kingdom (UK). It also aimed to discover if there were any sex differences in perceptions between males and females. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted, six with males and six with females, all residents of the UK. The audio data from the interviews then was transcribed for analysis. An inductive and a semantic thematic analysis was conducted on the data set. Three main themes were constructed, including: (i) RISUG Hesitancy, (ii) Females perceived benefits of RISUG and (iii) Males perceived concerns regarding RISUG. Hesitancy was related to vaccination hesitancy, females wanted males to have more reproductive autonomy and males placed their concerns through the lens of 'other' males that their may be unintended side effects. Together these three themes represent both perceived risk and overall benefits of the method. However, while randomized control trails have been completed to standard for RISUG, males perceived concerns, suggesting a disconnect between the public's perceptions and professionals understanding of trails. RISUG was perceived as a viable option for family planning in the future, however trust of the new contraceptive method will need to be fostered among the public in order to effectively transfer knowledge on the potential side effects and the standard of pre-market testing for these. Effective public health messages can result in better education of people concerning the new contraceptive method, including the risks and benefits. By using perceptions to inform health messages around RISUG, researchers and practitioners can learn from potential users how to best address misinformation or concerns, while at the same time building an evidence base for when new male methods reach the contraceptive market.

Sex Differences in the Bitterness Perception of an Aromatic Myrtle Bitter Liqueur and Bitter Compounds.

We evaluated sex differences in the perception of bitter compounds and an aromatic bitter herbal liqueur (Mirtamaro) obtained by the infusion of myrtle leaves/berries together with a mixture of Mediterranean herbs/plants as flavoring/bittering ingredients. In a healthy population (n = 231 participants), using bivariate correlations and multivariate linear regression analyses, significant sex differences emerged in quinine bitterness perception, with women showing a higher bitter taste intensity rating than men. Among all participants, 40 subjects (subpopulation) were randomly selected for the evaluation of sex differences in Mirtamaro gustatory and olfactory perception using a hedonic Likert-type scale. Women showed higher ratings in Mirtamaro aroma (odor intensity) and bitterness (taste intensity) perception than men, with a superior capacity to perceive/describe its sensory attributes. 1,8-Cineole and methyl chavicol were the main contributors to the bitter liqueur aroma. A significant correlation (r = 0.564, p < 0.01) between Mirtamaro odor pleasantness/taste pleasantness was observed in women, indicating a positive contribution of aromatic herbs to bitter taste acceptability. Moreover, a higher bitter intensity rating of 6-n-propylthiouracil was evidenced in women than men. Our results highlighted sex differences in bitter taste acuity and the role of aromatic herbs/plants in modulating bitter taste acceptance, which is useful information in the field of precision nutrition and medicine.

Sex differences in perceptions of sleep inertia following nighttime awakenings.

The influence of biological sex on sleep inertia symptoms is currently unknown. We investigated the role of sex differences in the subjective experience and objective cognitive manifestation of sleep inertia following nighttime awakenings. Thirty-two healthy adults (16 female, 25.91 ± 5.63 years) completed a 1-week at-home study with one experimental night during which sleep was measured by polysomnography and participants were awakened during their habitual sleep time. Participants completed a psychomotor vigilance task, Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS), visual analog mood scales, and a descending subtraction task (DST) prior to sleep (baseline) and at 2, 12, 22, and 32 min after awakening. A series of mixed-effects models with Bonferroni-corrected post hoc tests were used to examine the main effects of test bout and sex, and their interaction, with a random effect of participant, and order of wake-up and sleep history as covariates. All outcomes except for percent correct on the DST showed a significant main effect of test bout, with worse performance after waking compared to baseline (all ps < .003). Significant effects of sex (p = .002) and sex × test bout (p = .01; R2M = 0.49, R2C = 0.69) were observed for KSS, with females reporting a greater increase in sleepiness from baseline to after waking compared to males. These results suggest that while females reported feeling sleepier than males following nighttime awakenings, their cognitive performance was comparable. Future research is needed to determine whether perceptions of sleepiness influence decision-making during the transition from sleep to wakefulness.

A multi-institutional examination of sex differences in perceptions and actual performance in simulated assessments: further evidence of the male hubris, female humility effect in surgical education

A multi-institutional examination of sex differences in perceptions and actual performance in simulated assessments: further evidence of the male hubris, female humility effect in surgical education

Pornography's Ubiquitous External Ejaculation: Predictors of Perceptions.

One of the most contentious topics in the sexual arena is that of pornography. While some researchers focus on the costs and benefits of consumption, others focus on questions surrounding the objectification or degradation of women, with relatively little focus on the men involved, and the appeal of visual sexual stimuli more generally, including what that may tell us about the sexual interests of the consumers. In this study, we focus on what factors influence men's and women's perceptions of sexually explicit images, in particular the ubiquitous external ejaculation. Sex differences in perceptions of the images are examined as well as the influence of the emotional affect of the recipient of the ejaculation, the sexual orientation of the participant (are they looking at an image of their preferred sex or not), and a number of individual difference factors, including religiosity, Dark Triad personality traits, mate value, short-term mating strategy, and disgust sensitivity. Overall, the largest influences on perceptions were the direct effects of target emotional affect and sex, sex of viewer, sexual orientation of viewer, short-term mating orientation, and level of sexual disgust. In addition, substantial variation in perceptions was explained by the interaction between sex, sexual orientation, and target sex. The importance of positive affect in the images as well as the lack of association with psychopathy again suggests that the appeal (or at least the ubiquity of the images in pornographic material) is not rooted in degradation, but in some other aspect of short-term sexual psychology.

Emergency department consultations for respiratory symptoms revisited: exploratory investigation of longitudinal trends in patients\u2019 perspective on care, health care utilization, and general and mental health, from a multicenter study in Berlin, Germany

BackgroundOnly few studies of emergency department (ED) consulters include a longitudinal investigation. The EMACROSS study had surveyed 472 respiratory patients in eight inner-city EDs in Berlin in 2017/2018 for demographic, medical and consultation-related characteristics. This paper presents the results of a follow-up survey at a median of 95 days post-discharge. We aimed to explore the post hoc assessment of ED care and identify potential longitudinal trends.MethodsThe follow-up survey included items on satisfaction with care received, benefit from the ED visit, potential alternative care, health care utilization, mental and general health, and general life satisfaction. Univariable between-subject and within-subject statistical comparisons were conducted. Logistic regression was performed for multivariable investigations of determinants of dropout and of retrospectively rating the ED visit as beneficial.ResultsFollow-up data was available for 329 patients. Participants of lower education status, migrants, and tourists were more likely to drop out. Having a general practitioner (GP), multimorbidity, and higher general life satisfaction were determinants of response. Retrospective satisfaction ratings were high with no marked longitudinal changes and waiting times as the most frequent reason for dissatisfaction. Retrospective assessment of the visit as beneficial was positively associated with male sex, diagnoses of pneumonia and respiratory failure, and self-referral. Concerning primary care as a viable alternative, judgment at the time of the ED visit and at follow-up did not differ significantly. Health care utilization post-discharge increased for GPs and pulmonologists. Self-reported general health and PHQ-4 anxiety scores were significantly improved at follow-up, while general life satisfaction for the overall sample was unchanged.ConclusionsMost patients retrospectively assess the ED visit as satisfactory and beneficial. Possible sex differences in perception of care and its outcomes should be further investigated. Conceivable efforts at diversion of ED utilizers to primary care should consider patients’ views regarding acceptable alternatives, which appear relatively independent of situational factors. Representativeness of results is restricted by the study focus on respiratory symptoms, the limited sample size, and the attrition rate.Trial registrationGerman Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00011930); date: 2017/04/25.

Perceptions of Sexual Images: Factors Influencing Responses to the Ubiquitous External Ejaculation.

The debate over pornography has drawn attention to sex differences not only in the frequency of pornography consumption but also in the different ways males and females may perceive sexually explicit images and respond to them. Some of these differences may be due to sex differences in a variety of factors including sexual strategies and disgust, in particular, disgust related to pathogen avoidance. There is a large literature that focuses on how pathogen avoidance has shaped human behavior from political ideology to in-group/outgroup behavior to sexual risk taking/avoidance. This study examined sex differences in perceptions and how they are influenced by the emotional context of the image as well as individual difference factors, including disgust sensitivity, mate value, sociosexuality, and sexual orientation. Participants viewed a series of sexually explicit images of external ejaculations and rated them in terms of being positive, neutral, or negative. The factors accounting for the greatest variance in perceptions were target affect and sex, sexual orientation, and respondent sex, followed by pathogen and sexual disgust, self-perceived mate value, and sociosexual attitudes and desire.

Who perceives sexual harassment? Sex differences and the impact of mate value, sex of perpetrator, and sex of target

The #MeToo movement has drawn attention to sexual harassment in the workplace. Using an adaptationist approach, two studies were designed to investigate sex differences in perceptions of a sexually ambiguous comment and individual differences that may explain variation in those perceptions. Study 1 (n = 179) was a within-subjects study to investigate whether there is a sex difference in perceptions of sexual harassment and whether sex of speaker/target influences these perceptions. We found women were more likely than men to perceive the comment as sexual harassment when the speaker was a woman. However, for men and women, the comment was more likely to be perceived as sexual harassment, insulting, intentional, and less funny when the speaker was a man and the target was a woman. Study 2 (n = 742) was a between-subject study examining the effect of individual differences on perceptions of sexual harassment. We found, beyond sex differences and sex of speaker/target, one's own self-perceived mate value predicted perceptions of sexual harassment while sociosexuality did not. These findings suggest men and women perceive sexually ambiguous situations differently and that sex of the perpetrator/target as well as one's own mate value influences those perceptions.

Sex Differences in Perceptions toward Falls among Older Adults Living in the Community in Singapore.

Fall prevention strategies informed by understanding sex differences in the perception of falls may be fruitful. Objectives: In the current research, we examined the consequence of having a recent fall episode on sex differences in fall perception based on the postulation that having a recent fall can lead to perceived susceptibility and attenuate male stereotypic perceptions toward falls. Methods and Results: Examining 549 older adults (337 women) living in the community, men reported higher falls efficacy, less negative perception related to the effect of a fall, and lower tendency to restrict activities to prevent falls. These sex differences were observed only among those who did not have a recent fall episode, and no significant sex differences were observed among those who fell. Discussion: The findings suggest that a recent fall episode may underlie sex differences in falls perception. The implications of sex differences in perceptions in falls for healthcare delivery and outcomes are discussed.

550 Sex Differences in Perception Towards Pursuing Cardiology as a Career

550 Sex Differences in Perception Towards Pursuing Cardiology as a Career

Sex Differences in Perceptions of Asynchronous Audiotactile Cues

Multisensory cueing is increasingly used in technological systems to alert users to critical events. However, relatively little is known how environmental factors and individual differences affect the perception of asynchronous multisensory cues. In the present experiment, participants were required to provide “yes/no” discriminations related to perceived simultaneity on 288 pairings of auditory and tactile cues. Both the auditory and tactile cues were presented for either 200, 500, or 1000 milliseconds and incorporated one of twelve randomly-selected levels of onset asynchrony, ranging from 25 ms to 300 ms, at 25 ms intervals. For the analyses, participants were grouped by their biological sex. The results indicated that perceived onset asynchrony was affected by both the stimulus duration and participant sex. Stimuli that were 200 milliseconds in duration resulted in the lowest temporal tolerance for perceived asynchrony relative to 500 and 1000 millisecond audiotactile cues. Moreover, males were more sensitive to asynchronies than females.

Association Between Pain and Patient Satisfaction After Rhinoplasty.

In light of the current opioid crisis, there exists a demonstrated need to balance adequate postrhinoplasty pain control with measured use of narcotics. If pain is inadequately controlled, patients may be unsatisfied with their elective surgical experience. To characterize the association between patient-reported pain outcomes, objective opioid use, and perception of surgical success. A case series survey study was conducted from July 2018 to January 2019. Consecutive patients who underwent cosmetic and/or functional rhinoplasty by 2 facial plastic surgeons (D.A.S. and L.N.L.) at an academic medical center were surveyed 1 month after surgery. The number of oxycodone tablets taken, patient-reported pain outcomes, number of narcotic prescription refills, and patient-reported functional and cosmetic outcomes were recorded. Perception of pain, surgical outcome, and oxycodone intake were also evaluated by sex. Demographic information and perception of surgical results were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA statistical software (version 12.0, STATA Corp). Spearman rank order correlation was used for ordinal, monotonic variables with P < .05 being considered statistically significant. Overall, 104 patients were surveyed; 6 were lost to follow-up. Of the participants included, 50 were women with a mean (SD) age of 38 (16.0) years and 48 were men with a mean (SD) age of 38 (16.7) years. Although patients were prescribed a range of 10 to 40 tablets of oxycodone, patients took a mean (SD) of 5.2 tablets (range, 0-23). There were no significant sex differences in perception of pain, perception of outcome, or narcotic use. Among patients undergoing purely functional rhinoplasty, a statistically significant negative association between perception of pain and perception of functional outcome (breathing improvement) was evident. Patients who experienced less pain than they expected had a greater perception of functional improvement (rs = -0.62, P = .001). In contrast, among patients who underwent rhinoplasty with cosmetic improvement, no association was found between pain and perception of surgical outcome (rs = 0.05, P = .64). To our knowledge, this is the first study to prospectively evaluate the association between opioid use, patient-reported pain, and perceived surgical success. These data may help guide preoperative counseling because patients who are interested purely in breathing improvement (without cosmetic change) may warrant additional pain-specific counseling to optimize patient satisfaction. 3.

Innovative work behavior and sex‐based stereotypes: Examining sex differences in perceptions and evaluations of innovative work behavior

SummaryBuilding on role congruity theory, we predict that innovative work behaviors are stereotypically ascribed to men more than to women. Because of this bias, women who innovate may not receive better performance evaluations than those who do not innovate, whereas engaging in innovative work behaviors is beneficial for men. These predictions were supported across 3 complementary field and experimental studies. The results of an experiment (Study 1; N = 407) revealed that innovative work behaviors are stereotypically associated with men more than women. In Studies 2 and 3, using multisource employee evaluation data (N = 153) and by experimentally manipulating innovative work behaviors (N = 232), respectively, we found that favorable performance evaluations were associated with innovative work behaviors for men but not for women. These studies highlight a previously unidentified form of sex bias and are particularly important for those wishing to increase innovative behaviors in the workplace: We need to address this phenomenon of “think innovation‐think male.”

Transient sex differences during adolescence on auditory perceptual tasks.

Many perceptual abilities differ between the sexes. Because these sex differences have been documented almost exclusively in adults, they have been attributed to sex-specific neural circuitry that emerges during development and is maintained in the mature perceptual system. To investigate whether behavioral sex differences in perception can also have other origins, we compared performance between males and females ranging in age from 8 to 30 years on auditory temporal-interval discrimination and tone-in-noise detection tasks on which there are no sex differences in adults. If sex differences in perception arise only from the establishment and subsequent maintenance of sex-specific neural circuitry, there should be no sex differences during development on these tasks. In contrast, sex differences emerged in adolescence but resolved by adulthood on two of the six conditions, with signs of a similar pattern on a third condition. In each case, males reached mature performance earlier than females, resulting in a sex difference in the interim. These results suggest that sex differences in perception may arise from differences in the maturational timing of common circuitry used by both sexes. They also imply that sex differences in perceptual abilities may be more prevalent than previously thought based on adult data alone.

“It’s Complicated”—Sex Differences in Perceptions of Cross-Sex Friendships

ABSTRACTSurprisingly, little is known about how a person’s sex relates to beliefs about cross-sex friendships. In this study, participants completed a survey in which they provided separate estimates for the percentage of cross-sex friendships that contained secret “female-on-male” and “male-on female” sexual interest, indicated their optimism in the idea that males and females could be “just friends,” and reported their comfort with their partner forming a cross-sex friendship. Males were just as optimistic as females about the possibility and indicated similar levels of discomfort in response to imagining their partner entering into a cross-sex friendship. Furthermore, males did not provide higher estimates of sexual interest in cross-sex friendships compared to females. Instead, a more nuanced pattern emerged. Males (vs. females) provided higher estimates of male-to-female sexual interest, but females (vs. males) provided higher estimates of female-to-male sexual interest.

The dangers of the web: Cybervictimization, depression, and social support in college students

Data on students’ perceptions of social support, traditional and cyber victimization behavior, and social-emotional well-being were collected from a sample of 267 university students in the Midwestern United States. One purpose of the current study was to examine possible sex differences in perceptions of the prevalence of cybervictimization experiences. The current study also examined whether cybervictimization accounted for additional variance in depression beyond traditional victimization and if social support would buffer the associations among traditional and cyber victimization and depression. Young men and women did not report significantly different rates of cybervictimization. Cybervictimization was significantly related to depression above and beyond that of traditional victimization. Social support was negatively related to depression. However, there was no moderating role of social support. The results of this study highlight the significant impact that traditional and cyber victimization may have on college students’ well-being. Social support was also an important factor in the relation to depression, however, it did not provide a buffer in the association between victimization and depression.

Sex differences in perception of invisible facial expressions.

Previous research indicates that women are better at recognizing facial expressions than men. In the current study, we examined whether this female advantage in the processing of facial expressions also occurs at the unconscious level. In two studies, participants performed a simple detection task and a 4-AFC task while faces were rendered invisible by continuous flash suppression. When faces with full intensity expressions were suppressed, there was no significant sex difference in the time of breakup of suppression (Study 1). However, when suppressed faces depicted low intensity expressions, suppression broke up earlier in men than women, indicating that men may be more sensitive to facial features related to mild facial expressions (Study 2). The current findings suggest that the female advantage in processing of facial expressions is absent in unconscious processing of emotional information. The female advantage in facial expression processing may require conscious perception of faces.

Competition, autonomy, and prestige: Mechanisms through which the Dark Triad predict job satisfaction

Organizational researchers increasingly recognize the need to consider the Dark Triad traits (i.e., psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism) when explaining undesirable work outcomes (e.g., counterproductive behaviors). However, little research has focused on the motivations of those who actually hold the traits. In this study (N=361) we examined how the Dark Triad traits predispose individuals to perceive situations as competitive, prestigious, and comprised of restrictions (i.e., autonomy) which differentially predict job satisfaction. Individuals high on psychopathy and Machiavellianism perceived their workplaces as competitive, whereas individuals high on narcissism perceived their workplaces as prestigious and with fewer restrictions. Sex differences in perceptions were fully mediated by psychopathy and Machiavellianism. We discuss our results from an Evolutionary Industrial/Organization Psychology framework.

Sex Differences in Response to Victimization by an Intimate Partner: More Stigmatization and Less Help-Seeking among Males

Little is known about the unique challenges faced by male victims of intimate partner violence. We explored sex differences in perception of male versus female victims, as well as in one’s willingness to identify as a victim, to minimize or conceal victimization, and to seek help for perceived victimization in a sample of 166 (89 female, 77 male) undergraduates. Results indicated that participants held more negative attitudes toward male versus female victims. Males were less likely than females to consider hypothetical aggressive acts perpetrated against them as abusive. When asked to think about how they would respond if they felt “abused” by their partner, male participants reported being more likely to minimize and less likely to disclose and seek help compared to females. Results are discussed in terms of the social emphasis on male dominance and highlight the need to consider the unique challenges faced by male victims.

Sex Differences in Itch Perception and Modulation by Distraction – an fMRI Pilot Study in Healthy Volunteers

BackgroundEven though itch is a common syndrome of many diseases there is only little knowledge about sex and gender differences in pruritus, especially in central itch perception and modulation. To our knowledge, this is the first fMRI study examining sex differences in perception and its modulation by distraction.MethodsExperimental itch was induced by application of histamine (0.1 mM) via microdialysis fibers twice at the left forearm and twice at the left lower leg in 33 healthy volunteers (17 females, 16 males). The brain activation patterns were assessed by fMRI during itch without and with distraction (Stroop task). Between the various conditions, subjects were asked to rate itch intensity, desire to scratch and pain intensity. In a second experiment in 10 of the 33 volunteers histamine was replaced by saline solution to serve as control for the ‘Stroop’ condition.ResultsWomen generally presented higher itch intensities compared to men during itch over the course of the experiment. A more specific analysis revealed higher itch intensities and desire to scratch in women during experimental induced itch that can be reduced by distraction at the lower legs when itch is followed by ‘Stroop’. In contrast, men depicted significant reduction of ‘itch’ by ‘Stroop’ at the forearms. Women depicted higher brain activation of structures responsible for integration of sensory, affective information and motor integration/planning during ‘itch’ and ‘Stroop’ condition when compared to men. No sex differences were seen in the saline control condition.ConclusionWomen and men exhibited localisation dependent differences in their itch perception with women presenting higher itch intensities and desire to scratch. Our findings parallel clinical observations of women reporting higher itch intensities depending on itch localisation and suffering more from itch as compared to men.