There are deep-rooted reasons why we share the way we do. Men don’t want to appear vulnerable. (Why else won’t they ask for directions when they’re lost?) They are raised to be strong, after all, not to appear sad, scared or needy. Women, by contrast, are taught it’s OK to be emotional.
Biology plays a part, too. Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, have shown women respond to stress by releasing oxytocin, a feel-good hormone that produces a calming effect and helps them bond with children and others. Estrogen enhances its effects. (Men, too, release oxytocin in response to stress, but male hormones minimize its effects.)