Khaberni - A new study has proven that women are more capable than men at identifying symptoms of illness, which negatively affects appearance and behavior, facilitating protection from infection for their surroundings.
The research involved 280 students, equally divided between men and women, evaluating 24 photos of different individuals taken during illness and in their healthy state. Participants judged whether the people in the photos appeared sick or lethargic, using six criteria on a "Likert" scale of 9 points, including: safety, health, friendliness, alertness, social engagement, and positivity.
The results showed that women demonstrated greater sensitivity to sickness signals, and the difference was small but statistically significant, aiding researchers in assessing whether a person seemed open to communication, or appeared content or tired.
The researchers explained two possible reasons for this phenomenon:
The role of women as caregivers for children, where rapid detection of sickness signs in children is essential.
The tendency of women to avoid infection due to periods of reduced immunity during the reproductive age, including pregnancy and menstruation.
The authors noted limitations of the study, including the use of a student sample and not analyzing other sickness indicators such as voice and body movements, confirming that the results open prospects for understanding gender differences in recognizing signs of illness.
