Researchers using functional magnetic resonance imaging （fMRI） to study brain activation have found that men and women respond differently to positive and negative stimuli.

    Men may direct more attention to sensory aspects of emotional stimuli and tend to process them in terms of implications for required action, whereas women direct more attention to the feelings engendered by emotional stimuli.

    For the study, Researchers recruited 40 right-handed volunteers, 21 men and 19 women, between the ages of 18 and 36. The images were displayed in two runs. For the first run, only negative pictures were shown. For the second run, only positive pictures were shown.

    While viewing the negative images, women showed decidedly stronger and more extensive activation in the left thalamus, which relays sensory information to and from the cerebral cortex, including the pain and pleasure centers. Men exhibited more activation in the left insula, which gauges the physiological state of the entire body and then generates subjective feelings that can bring about actions. Information from the insula is relayed to other brain structures involved in decision making.

    The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary functions, including respiration, heart rate and digestion, and helps to adjust certain functions in response to stress or other environmental stimuli. It is responsible for the body's "fight or flight" response to threatening situations.

    While viewing positive images, women showed stronger and more extensive activation in the right superior temporal gyrus, which is involved in auditory processing and memory. Men exhibited stronger activation in the bilateral occipital lobes, which are associated with visual processing.

    研究者使用磁共振成像功能研究人大腦的活動，研究發現男女對積極刺激和消極刺激的反應不同。

    男人更多關注情感刺激的知覺效應，傾向于解決實際問題，相反女人則更多關注情感刺激的感覺。

    為了這項研究，研究者招募了40個用右手的志愿者，包括21個男人和19個女人，年齡在18到36歲之間。通過兩次測試顯示圖像信息。第一次測試僅顯示消極圖像信息。第二次測試僅顯示積極圖像信息。

    當觀察消極圖像信息時，女人的左丘腦反應強烈，特別活躍，分程傳遞了大腦皮層的感知覺信息，包括痛苦和快樂的中心。男人則顯示左腦島活躍，可以精確估計整個身體的生理狀態，然后產生自覺，采取行動。來自腦島的信息接力傳遞到采取決定的其他腦結構。

    自動神經系統控制著無意識的功能，包括呼吸、心率和領悟，并有助于調整特定功能，以應對壓力或者其他環境刺激。這項功能負責身體應對危險環境是"戰斗或逃走"的反應。

    當觀察積極反應圖像時，女人的右上顳腦回反應強烈，更加活躍，這有關聽覺處理和記憶。男人則在雙側枕骨葉更加活躍，這關涉到視覺處理。