Why Women’s Brains are Touchy Feely

Both women and men use sensory processing to express themselves differently.

I have a running conversation with my husband where he says “Listen, I’m going to start fixing this … and I respond with “I don’t see why you have to do that now.” Another sensory phrase you may hear is something like this – “Before I start I need to get a feel for … .”

Feeling can represent a mental or physically internal sensation as well as an actual touch experience. Some individuals need to physically touch something for it to have meaning and memory for them.

Recently, the Journal of Neuroscience (Dec. 16, 2009) published research on tactile sensation. Here, yet again, is another significant brain gender difference.  It was reported that because women had smaller fingers they had a greater sensitivity to touch when compared to men.

The fingertips contain Merkel cells, which are special sensory receptors and more densely distributed on smaller fingers of women. When the exterior skin of your finger tips comes into contact with a surface, the Merkel receptors underneath are indented just enough to transmit an electrical signal to your brain. This brain signal contains a variety of information including surface quality, temperature, moisture, pressure and vibration.

Research indicates that test subjects report subjective judgments of like or dislike based just on the tactile sensation of a surface. Marketers are keenly aware of this and how it can impact the female shopper.  Not only must their products have visual appeal but also a pleasurable touch sensation as well. The same is even extended to surfaces of all the exterior packaging materials.

Married men, if you think we jest just ask your wife why she buys the fabric softening brand that she does.  Be prepared to listen, it may take a while. 

Single men, if you want to experience that genuine female touchy feely sensation all over, better get silky pajamas. They’ve been working for Hugh Hefner for years!

Women, nothing wrong with being touchy feely. Your brain is wired for it.

By Joyce Hansen