Did you hear?
As early as John Corso (1959), it has been documented that women tend to have more sensitive hearing than men, and have less variability in hearing sensitivity than men do. McFadden (1998) notes that not only are women more sensitive to noise, but that they also have stronger evoked otoacoustic emissions (EOAEs) (sounds produced by the inner ear, and a measure of ear health). McFadden suggests that the differences may be due to hormonal effects, based on twin studies (pre-natally) and menstrual cycle studies (post-natally).
Here's where McFadden gets very interesting. McFadden and Pasanen (1998) examined differences EAOEs between heterosexuals and non-heterosexuals (both male and female). McFadden found that homosexual and bisexual women's EAOEs fell in between heterosexual women's and heterosexual men's. Bisexual and homosexual men did not show any significant difference from heterosexual men. McFadden feels that this suggests hormonal -- and possibly structural brain -- differences between homosexual and heterosexual women.
Well, I obviously can't offer any personal experience on this one. I didn't even know you could make your ears make noise, so I haven't gone around clicking into people's ears. I believe that
McFadden found the results he reported, but his extrapolation seems a little enthusiastic. I was particularly interested in this study because it's the first one I've seen using women as the comparison group in a heterosexual/homosexual group. I have read so many arguments suggesting that women's sexuality is largely socially based (e.g. Roy Baumeister's 2000 review) that these findings struck me as unusual.
Here's where McFadden gets very interesting. McFadden and Pasanen (1998) examined differences EAOEs between heterosexuals and non-heterosexuals (both male and female). McFadden found that homosexual and bisexual women's EAOEs fell in between heterosexual women's and heterosexual men's. Bisexual and homosexual men did not show any significant difference from heterosexual men. McFadden feels that this suggests hormonal -- and possibly structural brain -- differences between homosexual and heterosexual women.
Well, I obviously can't offer any personal experience on this one. I didn't even know you could make your ears make noise, so I haven't gone around clicking into people's ears. I believe that
McFadden found the results he reported, but his extrapolation seems a little enthusiastic. I was particularly interested in this study because it's the first one I've seen using women as the comparison group in a heterosexual/homosexual group. I have read so many arguments suggesting that women's sexuality is largely socially based (e.g. Roy Baumeister's 2000 review) that these findings struck me as unusual.