Same-sex work colleagues mostly more effective in cooperation?

Our brain makes men work better with other men
Surely you have experienced ambiguity in your work that was connected with your colleagues. Sometimes it seems that certain people are not working together effectively. But what about women and men in general? Researchers now found that women work better with men and women, and better with men. It's our brain's fault.

When women and men work together, they do so in different ways. This can affect the effectiveness of the work. Researchers from Stanford University have now found in an investigation that at least some of these differences in the way sex works can be explained. The physicians published their findings in the scientific journal "Scientific Reports".

Are there differences in effectiveness when women and men work together? Scientists found that during men's and women's work different brain areas are activated. This can actually make cooperation more difficult. (Image: goodluz / fotolia.com)

Location of the used brain areas says a lot about cognitive strategies
When we work together, different parts of the brain are activated in men and women, the researchers report. This suggests that the two groups also work together differently effective. The location of the brain regions used tells a lot about the underlying cognitive strategies of men and women, explains lead author Joseph Baker of Stanford University. One of the biggest surprises in the investigation was the behavioral outcomes.

Different "tactics" at work
Men and women thus use different "tactics" at work. For example, men focus on multitasking and women try to assess the behavior of their work colleagues in order to achieve common goals, the experts explain. Earlier gender and collaboration studies have already suggested that men work better with men than women. These examinations were often based on so-called passive brain scans.

New study examined the brain activity of over 200 subjects
The current study was based on new data. These recorded the activity of the brain while the participants actively cooperated, the doctors say. The researchers monitored the brain activity of over 200 participants, while performing a simple cooperative task in pairs.

The prefrontal cortex and the right temporal region fulfill different tasks
In male participants, parts of the brain in the right prefrontal cortex associated with multitasking received more oxygen from our blood, the authors explain. In female participants, the detected activation in the right temporal region was linked to the "reading" of social body signals. Of course, it is difficult to say exactly what role these brain regions play in the functioning of the sexes, the researchers add.

Scientists use near-infrared spectroscopy for their investigation
Research suggests that either specific sexes work better or worse together. Using a technique called near-infrared spectroscopy, the subjects' brains could be monitored. This type of surveillance is unique, say the scientists. It shows a real-time picture of the oxygen-enriched blood that flows through our brain. But even this type of investigation is only superficial. It only records the cerebral cortex, which is one of the outermost sections of the brain, the experts add.

Neither men nor women are more uncooperative at work
The study found that it is not men or women who are less cooperative in their work, there is a difference in how they work together, says co-author Allan Reiss of Stanford University.

Research in this area may eventually improve group dynamics
This study could be one of the first steps in understanding how to improve group dynamics. Research in this area may eventually lead to the identification of the most effective pairs of people, explains lead author Baker. Until then, a lot of work is needed. (As)