lklawson
Grandmaster
It's not all Socialization and Cultural differences. Modern researchers are certainly smart enough to account for that and most definitely feel pressure to do so. Even when controlling for differences in socialization, most research finds a difference in male vs female pain thresholds. There's been dozens of studies on this because it represents untold billions of dollars to the pharmaceutical industry.I don't know if its a gender thing as much as cultural thing. Most women aren't taught to have that same durability that men have. Many cultures frown upon girls who are tomboys out in the street playing football or wrestling in the grass. The more bumps and bruises that a child learns to handle as a kid the better that child is able to deal with pain as an adult. When an 8 year old daughter is hurt most parents will comfort her. When an 8 year old son gets hurts, the mother will comfort him, but the dad will respond with something like "walk it off" if the injury is not severe. I'm also guilty of this with females. If a 30 year old man were to fall in the street, I would ask if he was ok, and probably only ask that. If it is a woman then I would ask if she's ok, and then maybe say "can't you walk" and I would comfort her. I think it's this role and expectation of men are supposed to be tough that helps men to deal with pain better.
Here's yet another reported study, from this year, which concludes that, though men and women are taught to handle pain differently, there are also physiological and hormonal differences which impact the pain thresholds.
Women DO feel pain more intensely than men
It's not as if the research is being swept under the rug.
Peace favor your sword,
Kirk