Neural Signatures of Gender Differences in Interpersonal Trust

Abstract

Trust plays a critical role in nearly every aspect of social life. Parental investment theory and social role theory predict that women trust less than men due to a higher sensitivity to risk and betrayal, while men trust more than women to maximize resources and to signal their willingness to lose something. However, the underlying neuropsychological underpinnings for this gender difference are still obscure. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural signatures of gender differences in trust by simultaneously scanning 11 male and 11 female samegender, fixed dyads who played a multi-round binary trust game with varying levels of payoff (low/moderate/high) as an indicator of social risk. Our results showed that men trusted more than women and payoff level moderated the effect of gender on trust. While men trusted the same at all payoff levels, women trusted less with higher payoff levels. This pattern was supported by our neuroimaging finding: men showed a higher activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus (ventrolateral prefrontal cortex) and right precuneus than women, indicating that men exert more effort to inhibit the information of payoff levels and to use self-referencing to infer the strategies of partners with the goal of maximizing profit. Furthermore, men showed equivalent activation in the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex across payoff levels, whereas women showed a decreased activation with increasing payoff level-indicating decreased group bonding with higher risk in women. In conclusion, our results imply that women are more sensitive to social risk while trusting, which has implications for financial interactions, interpersonal relationships, and social involvement.

Measuring Interpersonal Trust towards Virtual Humans with a Virtual Maze Paradigm

“…To reduce the impact of gender differences on the results of the experiment and given the gender distribution of the participants we were able to recruit, we decided to recruit only female participants and use only female avatars. Furthermore, our sensitivity to gender differences ensures more experimental control and reduces confounds where males and females differ in trust socialization, trust evaluation, and trust related decision making [16,56,76]. We expected a large effect size for the outcome measures based on the work of Hale et al [26].…”

Biologizing Gender: The canalized reproductive axis of gender, not sex.

“…We gathered additional support in interest in people vs. things, socio-emotional skills [as empathizing] (Fang, Yamaguchi, Song, Tritsch, & Lin, 2018;Greenberg et al, 2018;Jones & Lopez, 2014;Zaidi, 2010), response to noxious stimulation, visually induced fear of threatening signals such as angry faces (McClure et al, 2004), trust and peer attachment (Wu, Hall, Siehl, Grafman, & Krueger, 2020), confidence in physicality (Zell et al, 2015), and levels of aggression (Bao & Swaab, 2011;Berenbaum & Beltx, 2021;Card, Stucky, Sawalani, & Little, 2008;Li, Q et al, 2020). To nominate relevant behavioral domains, we condensed these numerous commonalities to the synchronous behaviors of systemizing, empathizing, and aggression.…”

Are there sex differences in trust levels?

“…2.1 男性信任水平具备优势效应 2.1.1 实证与理论支持 大 量 量 表 (Irwin & Berigan, 2013;Zeffane, 2018)与实验研究 (Buchan et al, 2008;Chaudhuri & Gangaharan, 2002;Dittrich, 2015;Derks et al, 2014;Garbarino & Slonim, 2009;van de Groep et al, 2020;Holden & Tiahum, 2018;Lemmers-Jansen et al, 2017;Macko, 2020;Romano et al, 2017;van den Akker et al, 2020;Wu et al, 2020)发现男性信 任水平具备优势效应的观点 (Buchan et al, 2008;Chaudhuri & Gangaharan, 2002;Dittrich, 2015;Derks et al, 2014;Garbarino & Slonim, 2009;van de Groep et al, 2020;Holden & Tiahum, 2018;Lemmers-Jansen et al, 2017;Macko, 2020;Romano et al, 2017;Wu et al, 2020) (Buchan et al, 2008;Chaudhuri & Gangaharan, 2002;Dittrich, 2015;Derks et al, 2014;Garbarino & Slonim, 2009;van de Groep et al, 2020;Holden & Tiahum, 2018;Irwin & Berigan, 2013;Lemmers-Jansen et al, 2017;Macko, 2020;Romano et al, 2017;Wu et…”