The Brain Sex Test

[Caraccioli]

A friend of mine has a book the explains what sex your brain is (ie - more female or more male). It's creatively called (what else?) Brain Sex. It has to do with right/left brain stuff - creativity vs. logic and all that jazz.) As in all these theories, it only makes complete sense if you read the book. And, to be honest, I've never read the book. But my friend talks about it all the time and had wanted me to take the test.

Today I found an on-line version of the test at the BBC site. It has 6 parts and is pretty intricate - in fact, it takes a good 10-15 minutes to do, so be warned. You need a metric ruler to to measure the length of each of your ring and index fingers for part of it as well.

Brain Sex Test

I came out as having a slightly female brain (like a 15 or so). My friend (with the book) said he thought I probably had a fairly balanced brain sex ratio and I suppose this agrees with that assessment. (The scale is 100 female to 0 Balanced (center) to 100 male.)

[Dorian Lasseter]

Hmmm...

Tis an interestin' test there...

I scored dead 0.... balanced... might be the only test I've ever taken that said I was balanced...

[Patrick Hand]

Dang Dorian... I got the same thing..... (I did real well one the 3d blocks tho...... got them all right....... )

[Duchess]

Well, I figured out what the deal breakers in the test were. I was massively male typed in all the tests except noticing changed positions of objects and the words thing. And somehow came out roughly 45 female. Weird.

[Diego Santana de la Vega]

I was dead center also!

[Caraccioli]

Most of mine were in the balanced arena. I did pretty badly on recognizing the line angles, but I was really strong in the rotated shapes (engineer) and the word questions.

My empathy score was 2 out of 20. That'd be about right...

[blackjohn]

Fun. I came out with 25 on the male side.

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: 19 out of 20

Average score for men: 15.1 out of 20

Average score for women: 13.3 out of 20

(and I know which one I got wrong, but I couldn't go back and change it)

Spot the difference

This task tested your ability to identify which objects changed position. You lost points, if you incorrectly identified objects.

Your score: 64%

Average score for men: 39%

Average score for women: 46%

(cartographer!)

Hands

You said your right 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.

(southpaw!)

Empathising

Your empathy score is: 4 out of 20

Average score for men: 7.9 out of 20

Average score for women: 10.6 out of 20

Systemising

Your systemising score is: 14 out of 20

Average score for men: 12.5 out of 20

Average score for women: 8.0 out of 20

Eyes

This task tested your ability to judge people's emotions.

Your score: 5 out of 10

Average score for men: 6.6 out of 10

Average score for women: 6.6 out of 10

Fingers

We asked you to measure your ring and index fingers. Your ratios came to:

Right Hand: 0.98

Left Hand: 1

Average ratio for men: 0.982

Average ratio for women: 0.991

(very susceptible to error)

Faces

This task looked at how you rate the attractiveness of a series of faces. The images you looked at were digitally altered to create slight differences in masculinity.

Your choices suggest you prefer more feminine faces.

3D shapes

This task tested your ability to mentally rotate 3D shapes.

Your score: 10 out of 12

Average score for men: 8.2 out of 12

Average score for women: 7.1 out of 12

(damn! I ran out of time! I liked this one best.)

Words

This task looked at your verbal fluency.

Your score: you associated 6 word(s) with grey and you named 5 word(s) that mean happy. We are assuming that all the words you entered are correct.

Average score for men: 11.4 words total

Average score for women: 12.4 words total

$$$

This task asked you how you would divide money.

If you had to split £50 with someone, you said you would demand £25.

(I don't care too much for money...)

[Patrick Hand]

This task asked you how you would divide money.

Yah... I figured 50-50 sounded fair.........

[hitman]

I scored 0 looks like once agian a patteren is devolping and here for some reason I'm part of it lol.

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: 16 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 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.

Spot the difference

This task tested your ability to identify which objects changed position. You lost points, if you incorrectly identified objects.

Your score: 64%

Average score for men: 39%

Average score for women: 46%

What does your score suggest?

.

If you scored between 34 - 66%: You may have a balanced female-male brain.

Part 2

Hands

You said your left thumb was on top when you clasped your hands together.

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.

back to top

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: 20 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 – anything that follows a set of rules. A score of 15 and above suggests you're good at analysing or building systems. Men in general are better at systemising.

Scientists are keen to learn more about people who score high or low on both tests. They want to find out whether or not empathising and systemising are linked. Is a possible to make yourself more empathic?

Some scientists claim that our empathy and systemising abilities can be traced all the way back to prehistoric times. Find out more.

Eyes

This task tested your ability to judge people's emotions.

Your score: 7 out of 10

Average score for men: 6.6 out of 10

Average score for women: 6.6 out of 10

What does your result suggest?

If you scored 7 - 10: Your result suggests you are a good empathiser, sensitive to other people's emotions. Women generally fall into this category.

Professor Baron-Cohen at the University of Cambridge says that people usually perform better than they expect to on this test.

Part 4

Fingers

We asked you to measure your ring and index fingers. Your ratios came to:

Right Hand: 1.02

Left Hand: 1.02

Average ratio for men: 0.982

Average ratio for women: 0.991

It's thought that your ratio is governed by the amount of testosterone you were exposed to in your mother's womb. The ratio of the length of your index finger to the length of your ring finger is set for life by as early as three months after conception. Even during puberty, when we experience intensive hormonal changes, the ratio stays the same.

Men generally have a ring finger that is longer than their index finger, which gives them a lower ratio than women, whose ring and index fingers are usually of equal length.

Studies have found that men and women with lots of brothers generally have more masculine finger ratios. Find out what other things scientists think our ratios may tell us.

back to top

Part 5

Faces

This task looked at how you rate the attractiveness of a series of faces. The images you looked at were digitally altered to create slight differences in masculinity.

Your choices suggest you prefer more feminine faces.

Part 6

3D shapes

This task tested your ability to mentally rotate 3D shapes.

Your score: 10 out of 12

Average score for men: 8.2 out of 12

Average score for women: 7.1 out of 12

What does your result suggest?

.

If you scored 10 - 12: Are you an engineer or do you have a science background? People with these skills tend to score in this range. Past studies have concluded that people in this range have a more male brain.

Nearly a third of men who took this test got full marks, whereas less than 10 per cent of women managed the same. Find out why.

Words

This task looked at your verbal fluency.

Your score: you associated 6 word(s) with grey and you named 15 word(s) that mean happy. We are assuming that all the words you entered are correct.

Average score for men: 11.4 words total

Average score for women: 12.4 words total

What does your result suggest?

.

If you produced 6 - 10 words: Most people in this range have a female-type brain.

Women are said to use both sides of the brain when doing verbal tasks while men mainly use their left side. Studies have shown that girls develop vocabulary faster than boys. This difference in brain power is caused by levels of pre-natal testosterone. Find out more .

Ultimatum

T.

What does your response suggest?

Sex differences are small in this task. Demanding less than 60% of the pot (ie £30) is more typically female. Demanding more than 65% of the pot (ie £32.50) is more typically male.