God created man and then decided he was capable.
of something better. And so he created woman.
Adela St. John's
Although prehistoric societies arose on the basis of matriarchy, conceptions and prejudices about the "dominant sex" originated from the depths of history, encouraged the inequality of women over the centuries and continue to awaken the spirits of our day. But modern reality and the achievements of psychological science[1] have dramatically changed the picture, marking a multitude of indicators on which women are decisively pulling forward. Or as the French writer puts it, and Philosopher Voltaire - "The strength of women is determined by the weak points of men."
Men and women perceive the world from a different angle, thinking, communicating, experiencing and motivating their behavior in a specific way. These differences are related to the peculiarities of the brain, the hormonal structure of the organism and the influence of the sociocultural environment.
According to the theory of asymmetry of both hemispheres, the left hemisphere of the human brain is responsible for analytical and logical thinking, and the use of sign information (numbers, signs, symbols). The right hemisphere works with more images, provides a complete perception and is prone to synthesis – an instant "understanding" of the essence and interconnection (intuition). Men operate more with the left hemisphere, while women operate with both hemispheres, which gives them more creative opportunities. The speech centers in the female brain are located in both hemispheres (and men's only in the left), allowing women to better use verbal functions. In women, white matter predominates in the brain – neurons responsible for transmitting information, while in men – grey matter, neurons associated with information processing. Thus, the female brain dominates the integrity and holistic way of perceiving and thinking.
In solving problems, the representatives of the fair sex work mostly with the cortex of their brain in its front part – there are the control centers of movement, emotions and speech. This, according to experts, explains both the high emotionality of women and their tendency to make intuitive and sensual-emotional decisions.
According to scientific research, the advantages in the cognitive abilities of women reflect the following specific features:
- high speed, wider range and combination of perceptions, as well as better developed peripheral vision;
- ability to perform several tasks simultaneously (multitasking);
- better ability to learn, read comprehension and write, to learn a second language, developed imagination and creativity;
- more helpful verbal and long-term memory, especially for socially significant phenomena and events (names, faces, relationships with people);
- strong intuition, high sensitivity and ability to instantly read verbal and nonverbal signals emitted by others – hidden meanings in speech, body language, attitude, intentions, moods of others;
- better developed communication abilities, empathy, emotional intelligence and assertiveness[2];
- More effective handling of problems, conflicts and crises – understanding and sensitivity to problems, seeking assistance and sharing, taking into account different opinions, striving to discuss and evaluate different alternatives, caution to take risks when making decisions (men are more prone to alienation, distancing from problems and independent, unilateral decision-making).
The most important hormones that underlie sex differences are testosterone in men and estrogen in women. Testosterone contributes to the formation of mental traits associated with survival, aggressiveness, rivalry, self-reliance and confidence, the ability to orient in space. Estrogen stimulates the connections between the two hemispheres of the brain, improves memory, strengthens the desire to raise children and protect the family. It affects your sense of well-being and satisfaction. Estrogen strengthens social instincts, affects the need for communication and the palette of a woman's feelings, enhances the sense of beauty, balance, aesthetics and developed a better ability to express one's own individuality.
Studies show that women are more interested in activities related to people than in activities related to things, while in men the situation is the opposite – their interests are in STEM areas (science, technology, engineering, mathematics). It is this interest, as well as the features of the female psyche described above, that explain the dominant and successful presence of the "fair sex" in areas such as education, health, social affairs, administration, media, judiciary, culture and entertainment, finance and insurance, trade, hotel and restaurant business.
There is still a division into "female" and "male" professions, but this will change drastically after the change in the nature of work due to digital transformation, the advent of new technologies and artificial intelligence.
According to Eurostat and NSI data[3], Bulgaria is among the leaders in the European Union in terms of the largest share (over 40%) of women holding managerial positions in various public spheres. The share of women with managerial functions by category of professions – legislators, senior representatives and executive directors (35.3%), administrative managers and heads of commercial companies (50.4%), managers in production and specialized services (39.1%), managers in the hotel, trade and services industries (46.2%).
Studies of effectiveness in corporate management give an advantage to women because their nature is based on natural leadership qualities such as flexibility, adaptability, curiosity, striving for improvement, forward-thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, caring for people, self-control and responsibility. In this regard, the American journalist and writer Hannah Rosin [4]states: "Women are more likely to achieve the desired goal not through direct personal actions, but through combinative relationships with other people who are motivated to act on behalf of themselves and for them."
A study by the Global Market Research Institute GfK and the Central European University CEU Business School in six Central and Eastern European countries found that women in management positions in Bulgaria are more effective in their work. And this is quite logical, because in the conditions of a transforming reality, opportunities for a better future and new perspectives for modern women will increasingly be revealed.
[1] Gender psychology is a branch of psychological science that studies the differences between people determined by their gender. It studies the mental characteristics, social roles and peculiarities in the behavior of representatives of the male and female sexes.
[2] Assertiveness is the ability to express your feelings and assert your ideas, rights, and interests in a sound manner, while respecting the feelings, rights, and opinions of others.
[3] Pilot Study on Gender Equality in Management, NSI, 2023
[4] Rosin, Hanna, The End of Men: And the Rise of Women, Riverhead Books, 2012
