Girls vs Boys

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The differences between boys and girls have been examined in various contexts, primarily focusing on mental health, social dynamics, and behavior.

Mental Health and Social Media Use

Jonathan Haidt highlights that social media has a more adverse effect on girls' mental health compared to boys. Girls tend to engage more with visual social media platforms like Instagram, leading to increased rates of depression and anxiety since around 2012-2013, evidenced by sharp rises in mental health issues among girls during this period. Boys, on the other hand, are more involved in video games, YouTube, and pornography, which leads to a more gradual increase in anxiety and depression 1 2 3 4.

Social Media Impact

Jonathan highlights the stark rise in mental health issues among girls linked to social media use post-2012. He delves into the psychology of motivation, emphasizing agency and communion as key factors influencing girls' online behavior and mental well-being.
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Social Dynamics

Dr. Tracy Vaillancourt notes that boys and girls interact differently in social contexts, especially in sports. Boys tend to accept hierarchical positions more readily and let go of conflicts, while girls are more likely to remember past grievances and hold onto them for years. This difference in social behavior could be evolutionary, related to resource scarcity and social cohesion 5.

Sensitivity to Environment

Surprisingly, Richard Reeves points out that boys may be more sensitive to their environments compared to girls. This finding challenges traditional notions of masculinity that view boys as robust and stoic, suggesting instead that boys are more like 'orchids' (developmentally sensitive) compared to girls who are 'dandelions' (resilient) 6.

ADHD Manifestations

Steve Hinshaw discusses how ADHD manifests differently between boys and girls. Boys are more frequently diagnosed with ADHD due to overt symptoms like hyperactivity and impulsivity, which are more disruptive in classroom settings. Girls, however, tend to have a more inattentive form of ADHD, making it harder to diagnose and often leading to late recognition and treatment 7.

These insights indicate that while there are broad differences in how boys and girls experience and respond to various aspects of life, many of these differences are influenced by social context, environmental factors, and biological predispositions.

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