Skip to Main ContentSkip to Search

DOW JONES, A NEWS CORP COMPANYAbout WSJ



o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

The Wall Street Journal
SubscribeSign In
English Edition



Print Edition
Video
 Podcasts
Latest Headlines
 Home
 World
 U.S.
 Politics
 Economy
 Business
 Tech
 Markets
 Opinion
 Life & Arts
 Real Estate
 WSJ. Magazine
Search
Search

SHARE

 FACEBOOK

 TWITTER

 LINKEDIN

 PERMALINK
 TECH 
  FAMILY & TECH: JULIE JARGON

Girls vs. Boys: Brain Differences

Might Explain Tech Behaviors
Recent research shows the brain’s rewards regions activate when males crave
videogames, girls face more depression when overusing social media
PHOTO: STEVEN SALERNO

By 
Julie Jargon
Sept. 24, 2019 5:30 am ET

Many parents of both boys and girls have witnessed striking differences in the way their
kids use technology, with their sons generally gravitating to videogames and their
daughters often spending more of their screen time scrolling through social media.

Emerging research indicates that brain differences between males and females help
account for the split.

“It is entirely plausible from a neurological perspective that there’s an underlying

biological component to this difference people are seeing,” said Larry Cahill, a professor
of neurobiology and behavior at the University of California, Irvine, who has spent two
decades researching gender differences in the brain.

In this column I’ve chronicled the aggression some boys exhibit when they have to shut
off videogames and transition to other activities, as well as the problems some young
men face when they go to college and have to juggle game time and school work without
mom and dad’s help.
That led some readers to question why girls don’t appear to be having these problems. Of
course, girls have issues of their own, such as smuggling “burner” phones to keep up with
forbidden social media accounts. It’s just that when it comes to videogames, most girls
seem to have a better handle on when to stop.
TO READ THE FULL STORY
SUBSCRIBE SIGN IN

Continue reading your article with

a WSJ membership
VIEW MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS

SPONSORED OFFERS
 TARGET:
Target promo code - Enjoy 45% savings
 MACY'S:
Macy's coupon - Sign up to get 25% off next order
 SAKS FIFTH AVENUE:
$20 off $200 during sale - Saks Fifth Avenue coupon
 BELK:
Belk coupon - $10 off sitewide
 SEPHORA:
Sephora promo code: Free All Day Hydrator

MOST POPULAR VIDEOS


 The Coronavirus Is Mutating. Here’s What We Know.


Twitter, Facebook and the Rules of What Can Be Said on Social Media


The U.S. Rejoins the Paris Climate Accord: What’s Next



The Science Behind How the Coronavirus Affects the Brain



Opinion: Transgender Athletes and Women's Sports

 The Wall Street Journal
 English Edition
o
o
o

o Subscribe Now
o Sign In
  Back to Top «
WSJ Membership
 WSJ+ Membership Benefits
 Subscription Options
 Why Subscribe?
 Corporate Subscriptions
 Professor Journal
 Student Journal
 WSJ High School Program
 WSJ Amenity Program
 WSJ Live
Customer Service
 Customer Center
 Contact Us
Tools & Features
 Emails & Alerts
 Guides
 Topics
 My News
 RSS Feeds
 Video Center
 Watchlist
 Podcasts
Ads
 Advertise
 Commercial Real Estate Ads
 Place a Classified Ad
 Sell Your Business
 Sell Your Home
 Recruitment & Career Ads
 Coupons
More
 About Us
 Content Partnerships
 Corrections
 Jobs at WSJ
 News Archive
 Register for Free
 Reprints
 Buy Issues
 Facebook
 Twitter
 Instagram
 YouTube
 Podcasts
 Snapchat
 Google Play
 App Store
Dow Jones Products
 Barron's
 BigCharts
 Dow Jones Newswires
 Factiva
 Financial News
 Mansion Global
 MarketWatch
 Private Markets
 realtor.com
 Risk & Compliance
 WSJ Pro
 WSJ Video
 WSJ Wine

 Privacy Notice

 Cookie Notice

 Copyright Policy

 Data Policy

 Subscriber Agreement & Terms of Use

 Your Ad Choices
 Copyright ©2021 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.