The Japanese Journal of Psychology
Online ISSN : 1884-1082
Print ISSN : 0021-5236
ISSN-L : 0021-5236
Individual and gender differences in Empathizing and Systemizing
Measurement of individual differences by the Empathy Quotient (EQ) and the Systemizing Quotient (SQ)
Akio WakabayashiSimon Baron-CohenSally Wheelwright
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2006 Volume 77 Issue 3 Pages 271-277

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Abstract
Empathizing is a drive to identify another person's emotions and thoughts and respond to them appropriately. Systemizing is a drive to analyze systems or construct systems. The Empathizing-Systemizing (E-S) model suggests that these are major dimensions in which individuals differ from each other, and women being superior in empathizing and men in systemizing. In this study, we examined new questionnaires, the Empathy Quotient (EQ) and the Systemizing Quotient (SQ). Participants were 1 250 students, 616 men and 634 women, from eight universities, who completed both the EQ and SQ. Results showed that women scored higher than men on the EQ, and the result was reversed on the SQ. Results also showed that humanities majors scored higher than sciences majors on the EQ, and again the result was reversed on the SQ. The results were discussed in relation to the E-S theory of gender differences.
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© The Japanese Psychological Association
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