Women score higher on average in emotional intelligence than men, according to a University of Limerick and University of Zurich review published across nearly three decades of research from 1995 to 2023. Researchers Dr. Mary M. Hausfeld and Prof. Jochen Menges examined data spanning 76 countries and more than 600,000 people to test the popular assumption that women excel at reading rooms, defusing arguments, and managing social friction.
What the Three-Decade Study Revealed About Gender and Emotion
The headline finding confirms a female advantage in emotional intelligence scores, but the authors note the capability is concentrated specifically in the “others’ feelings” half of the equation. This subset involves recognizing what someone else is feeling, understanding why, and helping them manage it. Plenty of men excel at this domain and plenty of women do not, as these figures represent broad averages across hundreds of thousands of participants rather than strict predictions for any single individual.
When looking at the origins of this gap, the researchers found patterns pointing away from fixed biology. The female advantage is far smaller in children than in adults, and the gap has narrowed across the 30-year span of the reviewed data. Those shifts align with a skill shaped through practice rather than something fixed at birth.
Why Early Socialization Drives the Emotional Intelligence Gap
Parental behavior provides a plausible mechanism for that practice. Previous research cited in the study shows that parents use a wider vocabulary of emotion words with daughters than with sons. Parents more frequently encourage girls to reflect on and articulate their feelings, while steering boys toward suppressing emotions or managing them independently.
Girls consequently receive more practice reading and responding to other people’s emotions from an early age. Like learning a foreign language or picking up an instrument, repetition makes the skill more natural. A separate 2019 meta-analysis of 58 studies found that emotional intelligence can be trained successfully regardless of gender, meaning the gap is not destiny.
The Hidden Costs of Unpaid Emotional Labor at Work and Home
Treating this female advantage as natural disposition rather than trained skill creates an unequal burden. When organizations assume women are simply “built that way,” the colleague who defuses workplace tension or supports stressed peers is quietly assigned unpaid and unrewarded obligations. This work keeps teams functioning smoothly but almost never appears in formal performance reviews.
Outside the office, the dynamic persists in friendships and families. The person who checks in on a struggling friend without being asked or monitors group chat engagement performs real, ongoing work that remains invisible precisely because it looks effortless.
Common Questions About Emotional Intelligence and Gender
Is emotional intelligence a fixed trait or a learned skill?
Research demonstrates that emotional intelligence is a trainable skill rather than a fixed genetic trait. Studies show that people of any gender can improve their emotional abilities through practice and targeted development.
Why do women score higher on emotional intelligence tests?
Data covering 600,000 people across 76 countries shows that women score higher primarily in the “others’ feelings” category. Researchers link this difference to early childhood socialization, where girls receive more encouragement to articulate emotions and practice social interactions.
How does this study impact workplace policies?
The authors recommend that organizations formally name and reward emotional labor during performance reviews and promotions. They also advise companies to invest in emotional intelligence training for all staff members rather than relying on specific individuals to manage team friction.
Worth a look