The Brain Differences Between “literary” Students And “science” Students

It is quite common in faculties to hear jokes about the inability of literature students to cope with mathematical operations, or about the incompetence of engineers when it comes to understanding history.

They are stereotypes without much rational basis, but it seems that, deep down, they may contain certain truths

Differences between the “literary” brain and the “science” brain

The Japanese neuroscience researcher Hikary Takeuchi and his team published a few weeks ago an interesting study on the structural differences between those who study science, comparing them with those who study humanities.

Investigation

The work of the Japanese team suggests that there are several notable differences between the brains of students in scientific university courses and the brains of students in the field of humanities and literature.

The results showed that, while science students have a greater amount of gray matter in the medial prefrontal cortex , those in the humanities reported a greater density of the white matter surrounding the right hippocampus

This information could be obtained by examining a total of 491 participants, through an MRI brain scan. Various variables such as age or brain volume were also controlled in the research. Takeuchi explained these results by framing them in the classical theory of Simon Baron-Cohen on Systematization of Empathy.

Following this model, it has been suggested that subjects who are attracted to impersonal systems are those who tend to like the study of science more. On the other hand, those who are attracted to literature and the humanities correspond to the empathic type.

The 491 participants in the research underwent neurophysiological examinations and answered several questions. Their cognitive functions were examined, particularly those that were speculated to be strongly linked to one’s field of study, as well as other basic control cognitive functions that were presumed to be of little relevance to the field of study.

According to the data provided, this research supposes the first time that differences between students’ brain structures according to their field of study have been examined The initial hypothesis, which suggested that asymmetries did indeed exist, was demonstrated.

The brain of science students resembles that of an autistic person

The brain type of science students was reported to partially coincide with that of people with conditions typical of the autism spectrum: they prefer to systematize events, it is not uncommon to observe some difficulty in language, they are less empathetic and they are less skilled at to anticipate and foresee the thoughts and reactions of others.

Those with letters have brains more focused on empathy

On the other side, students of literature and humanities were related to a skill profile more linked to empathy, that is, they were more capable of identifying with other subjects, understanding them and showing solidarity with them. However, a good number of these students exhibited difficulties in skills such as spatial recognition

The key could be in the level of testosterone

The investigation also observed factors such as greater or lesser presence of fetal testosterone and it was concluded that this variable played an important role in the development of the hippocampus, marking the difference between both groups of students.

There is no doubt that this research, pioneering in the analysis of brain differences between students, will be the first of many that will try to explain the differences in the brain structure of each profession.