Women vs men empathy: Are Women Naturally More Empathetic Than Men? Scientists Say the Truth Is More Complex.

Women vs men empathy: For generations, society has promoted the idea that women are naturally more emotional, nurturing, and empathetic than men. From childhood toys and parenting styles to workplace expectations and leadership stereotypes, empathy has long been treated as a “feminine trait,” while assertiveness, dominance, and emotional restraint are often associated with masculinity.

But a growing body of scientific research is now challenging that assumption.

Neuroscientists, psychologists, and sociologists say the belief that women are biologically wired to be more empathetic than men may be far more complicated than previously thought. Instead, evidence increasingly suggests that empathy is shaped heavily by culture, upbringing, social expectations, and power dynamics not simply biology alone.

The findings are forcing experts to rethink long-standing gender stereotypes and raising important questions about how boys and girls are raised, how workplaces reward emotional behaviour, and how society defines masculinity itself.

The Long History of Gender Stereotypes Around Empathy

For centuries, emotional sensitivity has been associated with women, while logic, authority, and leadership have traditionally been linked to men.

Even in modern society, women who show empathy are often praised, while men who display emotional openness may be labelled weak or overly sensitive. Meanwhile, men showing confidence are often considered “assertive,” while women demonstrating the same behaviour are sometimes viewed as “aggressive.”

These stereotypes influence everything from parenting and education to hiring decisions and leadership opportunities.

Scientists say one of the most powerful examples of this gendered thinking involves empathy itself — the ability to understand and respond to the emotions and experiences of others.

Women vs men empathy: What Exactly Is Empathy?

Researchers generally describe empathy in two main forms:

• Cognitive empathy — the ability to recognise and understand another person’s thoughts and emotions.
• Emotional or affective empathy — the ability to emotionally feel or respond to another person’s experience.

Empathy is considered essential for healthy relationships, caregiving, teamwork, parenting, and social cooperation.

Studies have consistently shown that women often score slightly higher on empathy questionnaires and social-emotional tests than men. However, scientists increasingly argue that these differences are smaller and more socially influenced than many people assume.

The Theory That Women Are “Hard-Wired” for Empathy

Some researchers believe biology does play a role.

Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen of Cambridge University famously argued that the female brain is generally more “hard-wired” for empathy, while the male brain is more naturally inclined toward “systemising” — understanding rules, patterns, and systems.

His studies suggested that exposure to testosterone in the womb may influence social development. Research involving children found that higher prenatal testosterone exposure was linked to stronger systemising abilities and lower empathy scores later in life.

Supporters of this theory argue that hormonal differences between males and females may contribute to some behavioural patterns observed later in life.

However, many scientists caution that these biological explanations are only part of a much larger and more complex picture.

Many Researchers Say Society Shapes Empathy More Than Biology

Other experts strongly challenge the idea that women are naturally more empathetic by default.

Neuroscientist Gina Rippon argues that the belief in an inherently “female empathic brain” reflects outdated stereotypes more than scientific certainty.

She notes that while studies may find average differences between men and women, the variation within each gender is far greater than the variation between genders.

In other words, many men are more empathetic than many women — and vice versa.

Research also shows that young children’s brains are extremely influenced by their environment, family expectations, and social conditioning.

Girls are often encouraged to be caring, emotionally expressive, polite, and nurturing from a very early age. Boys, meanwhile, are more likely to be rewarded for toughness, independence, competitiveness, and emotional control.

Scientists say these repeated messages gradually shape behaviour over time.

Babies Show Surprisingly Few Gender Differences

One major 2025 meta-analysis examined dozens of studies involving one-month-old infants to determine whether baby girls naturally show more social awareness or empathy than boys.

Researchers analysed behaviours such as:

• Attention to faces
• Emotional responsiveness
• Reactions to crying
• Awareness of surrounding emotions

The findings revealed no meaningful differences between male and female infants in these areas.

This suggests that many empathy differences observed later in life may emerge through social learning rather than being fully present at birth.

Genetics Explain Only a Small Part of Empathy

A major 2018 genetic study involving more than 46,000 participants also found that genetics contribute only modestly to empathy levels.

Researchers discovered that genes explained only about 10% of the variation in empathy between individuals.

Crucially, none of the genes linked to empathy were specifically associated with biological sex.

Professor Varun Warrier, one of the researchers involved in the study, concluded that environmental and social factors likely play a far larger role than genetics alone.

Power and Social Status May Influence Empathy

Some scientists argue that empathy may also be shaped by power structures within society.

Research has shown that people with less social or economic power often become more skilled at reading emotions and social situations because they must constantly navigate relationships with those in authority.

Historically, women have had less political, economic, and institutional power than men. Some experts suggest this may partly explain why women often appear more emotionally perceptive.

At the same time, studies show that positions of power can sometimes reduce empathy by creating emotional distance from others.

Men Can Become More Empathetic When Expectations Change

One of the most fascinating findings from recent research is how easily empathy scores can change based on social expectations.

In a 2023 neurological study, researchers found that men and women showed similar brain responses when viewing emotional facial expressions. However, men reported feeling less empathetic on questionnaires — unless they were first told that men are naturally capable of caring and emotional understanding.

Once that expectation was changed, the empathy gap between men and women disappeared almost entirely.

Other experiments found that when participants were financially rewarded for accurately understanding another person’s emotions, both men and women quickly improved their empathic performance.

Researchers say this suggests empathy is not fixed, but highly flexible and influenced by motivation and social context.

Empathy Can Be Learned and Strengthened

Scientists increasingly describe empathy as a skill rather than a permanent personality trait.

Neurologist Nathan Spreng says empathy can develop throughout life through experience, attention, and emotional learning.

This means people can become more empathetic regardless of gender.

Experts say emotional intelligence, communication skills, parenting, caregiving, and social awareness can all strengthen empathy over time.

Gender Stereotypes Around Empathy Have Serious Consequences

Researchers warn that these stereotypes affect both women and men in harmful ways.

Women are often viewed as naturally caring but less suited for leadership because leadership is still associated with traditionally masculine traits such as authority and dominance.

Men, meanwhile, may feel pressured to suppress emotional vulnerability or avoid seeking emotional support.

Scientists say this can contribute to loneliness, isolation, and mental health struggles among men. Social isolation is also linked to higher suicide risk, which remains significantly higher among men in many countries.

A New View of Masculinity Is Emerging

Researchers say society is gradually redefining masculinity in ways that allow men to embrace caregiving, emotional openness, and empathy without shame.

More fathers today are becoming actively involved in childcare and family responsibilities than in previous generations.

Sociologist Niall Hanlon says this shift may help create a healthier model of masculinity — one built less around dominance and emotional isolation, and more around connection, empathy, and interdependence.

Experts believe this evolution could improve relationships, mental health, workplace culture, and family life for both men and women.

The Bigger Lesson Scientists Want Society to Understand

The growing scientific consensus is not necessarily that men and women are identical in every emotional trait.

Rather, researchers say empathy is far too complex to reduce to simplistic biological stereotypes.

Environment, upbringing, expectations, social reward systems, culture, and personal experience all appear to shape how empathy develops.

And perhaps most importantly, empathy is not something only women possess naturally.

It is a human ability — one that can be encouraged, strengthened, and learned by everyone.

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