Why Are Women More Afraid Than Men?

women and men biological sex When we consider them as a matter of fact, it is possible that the differences in some subjects are due to hormonal or biological variables.

However gender When we evaluate it under the same roof, perhaps the most important factors that lead to the formation of these differences are social. In this article, we will explain why women are more afraid than men, with reference to studies.

Two terms we need to know first: Fear and anxiety

Horror, perceived as a threat It is a natural mechanism that occurs as a stimulant response as a result of an event. It is a universal feeling that occurs in every human being.

It can also be the emergence of fear before any particular kind of emotional state or immediate threat from outside occurs in the person. anxiety or anxiety is called.

Women, blacks, and low-income people are more prone to fear.

According to the findings of Iran Psychiatry Behavior Science; women, blacks, and low-income people fear is higher. According to the study, women think that their fears and worries can prevent bad events from occurring in the future.

When they succumb to their anxiety, this state of extreme anxiety can turn into a state of fear that affects their lives. men compared to women anxiety coping strategy He prefers to be a distraction.

Raising girls to be “vulnerable” increases their susceptibility to fear.

Another study, published in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, potentially dangerous studied the interactions of parents with their sons and daughters while playing on a fire-fighting pole.

Mothers and fathers encouraged their sons to deal with the dangers of the pole and gave instructions to help from afar. But when it came to their daughters, the adults encouraged them to be 4 times more careful and with more physical assistance they intervened.

The study, “Findings, routine parent-child interactions It shows that during pregnancy, parents communicate with young children in ways that may increase boys’ greater risk-taking and injury vulnerability among girls than boys.”

Women are brought up to be more fragile from the moment they are born.

Another conclusion drawn by the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology is that girls are raised from birth to be less capable and more fragile than boys. As girls get older more fragile The thought that they are the ones that they are is ingrained in their minds and is manifested by an all-encompassing fear that goes beyond physical risks.

as a child “exciting and unknown” Most situations that are described as “feminine” begin to be labeled as “scary” for girls, and “fear” becomes a “feminine” trait. So when a 10-year-old girl sees an insect and screams, it doesn’t go unnoticed, but when a boy does that, “You’re a boy, are you afraid of bugs?” can get such reactions.

Fear of psychological and physical violence has taken over the lives of many women.

Other studies show that more women than men physical and psychological violence and violence is linked to fear, which can recur with the development of anxiety disorders.

No matter where they are in the world, women are constantly living their lives in any situation that may come from outside. potential attack They continue to worry. In fact, to take a rare example, women with a history of sexual abuse can develop abnormal blood flow in the hippocampus (the part of the brain involved in emotion processing).

Fear statistics of women and men on certain issues are as follows:

According to the research of the law firm “Farah and Farah”, women from daily life scenarios more afraid of men. They are many times more likely than men to feel fear while doing something as simple as going from place to place or walking around their neighborhood at night.

In addition, women; certain scenarios such as sexual assault, physical assault and extortion “Biggest Fear” are defined as. The percentage distribution of some of these scenarios by gender is as follows:

Sexual assault:

• Male: 24.2%
• Female: 53.7%

Physical attack:

• Male: 34.5%
• Female: 50.0%

Walking to the car in the parking lot at night:

• Male: 24.2%
• Female: 63.6%

To die:

• Male: 43.9%
• Women: 49.8%

Riding alone in vehicles such as Uber or taxi:

Using the stairs or elevator alone at night:

Meeting someone you met online:

• Male: 16.8%
• Women: 41.3%

Walking alone in your own neighborhood at night:

• Male: 11.0%
• Women: 22.6%

Masters entering the house for repair work:

• Male: 8.0%
• Women: 19.6%

Looking at the knocking door when you are alone at home:

• Male: 7.4%
• Women: 16.9%

Taking public transport at night:

• Male: 23.5%
• Female: 49.7%

Women think that their safety depends on men’s “goodwill”.

Women from their childhood “weaker sex” They are raised with the label, and there is an undeniable fact that most men are physically larger and stronger than women.

When we look at the world in general, it is not difficult to see that a masculine domination prevails. Although not overtly, women in many parts of the world subconsciously live their lives dependent on men’s “goodwill” for their safety. To them something wrong They think that if they do, they risk being punished.

In fact, although most men do not use their physical superiority against women, this is possibility and threat is always present as fear for women.

Physical strength can influence the gender fear factor.

We talked about some of the social causes. Finally with fear of physical force Let’s look at a related study at Tulane University.

Nicholas Kerry and Damian R. Murray noted that their study of a hurtful handshake partially explains the gender differences in fear. Stronger people had less fear, according to the results of the study.

Of course, it is a fact that most women have less physical strength than men, and looking at the findings of the study, physical strength is not enough. fear level can change.