Men and Women Have Different Strengths

Women score higher on compassion-related items and self-reflection while men score higher on cognitive-related items and emotional regulation. Previous studies have shown that wisdom is a personality trait underpinning mental health and well-being. Recently, researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine looked at gender differences relative to wisdom, using two different validated scales. The study, publishing in the February 3, 2022, online edition of Frontiers in Psychology , assessed gender differences in wisdom and associated constructs, including depression, loneliness, well-being, optimism and resilience. Six hundred and fifty-nine community-based participants, ages 27 to 103, participated in the study and completed both the San Diego Wisdom Scale (SD-WISE) and the 3-Dimensional Wisdom Scale (3D-WS). The SD-WISE includes 24 items related to six defined components of wisdom: pro-social behaviors (empathy and compassion), emotional regulation, self-reflection, acceptance of uncertainty and diversity of perspectives, decisiveness and social advising. The 3D-WS contains 39 items covering three dimensions of wisdom: cognitive, affective or compassionate/and reflective.