A new study has revealed that stress heightens women's emotional intelligence, while it makes men more antisocial.
The study coordinated by the Social Cognitive Neuroscience Unit of the University of Vienna found that men are less able to distinguish their own emotions and intentions from those of other people under stress.
Giorgia Silani of the International School for Advanced Studies said that there is a subtle boundary between the ability to identify with others and take on their perspective, be empathic and the inability to distinguish between self and other.
The study found that stress worsens the performance of men in tasks related to motor condition, emotional condition and cognitive condition, while it was opposite for women.
The researchers suggested that at a physiological level, the gender difference might be accounted for by the oxytocin system, which is connected with social behaviours.
