Bath Uni study finds gender an important factor to understanding others' minds

Psychologists from the University of Bath have been looking into the qualities needed to pick up on the subtle clues of others

Author: Nina Massey, PA Science Correspondent / Oliver MorganPublished 25th May 2023
Last updated 15th Jun 2024

A brand-new study launched by psychologists at the University of Bath have found being female and educated are the biggest factors when it comes to being able to understand or read other people's minds.

To determine this data, the team at the Uni of Bath looked at the qualities associated with understanding others such as agreeableness, picking up on subtle clues and self-reflection - otherwise known as the 'theory of mind'.

They looked at 4,000 people in their survey, with the results (based on averages) argued by the team that it's an important reminder about the drivers of agreement and disagreement in public life.

To conduct the study, the researchers asked people to talk about their background, as well as to score their political beliefs (ranging from 1 = very liberal, to 7 = very conservative).

Developed by the same team in 2021, the test poses a series of statements, such as "I can usually understand another person's viewpoint, even if it differs from my own", and "I find it easy to put myself in somebody else's shoes".

They also used a mind reading test to ascertain how well people understood what others were thinking.

Senior author Dr Punit Shah, associate professor and leading expert on social cognitive processing at the University of Bath, said: "In a world where it seems increasingly difficult to hold and express different points of view, it is crucial that we understand the barriers to connecting with other people.

"Political views are often thought of as such a barrier, but our research actually shows that a person's politics is not, in fact, linked to how well they understand others.

"Importantly, we didn't just find an absence of evidence for a political link in the study.

"The analyses also provided evidence of absence for this link.

"This is a socially important finding that might help to break down some artificially constructed barriers between people and ultimately improve understanding between different people in our society."

He added: "Historically male perspectives have been prioritised in society.

"We are of course seeing this narrative diminish over time, and research like ours adds extra evidence to highlight the important role of education and being female for social understanding and cohesion in society - far more so than politics."

The psychologists say their findings may be "socially important", might help to break down some artificially constructed barriers, and improve understanding between people.

Lead researcher Dr Rachel Clutterbuck said: "The reasons for why some people are better at understanding others are not well understood, but this research provides a glimpse into some individual differences, such as gender, which may help to explain these social differences."

The findings are published in the journal Plos One.

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