Researchers using functional magnetic resonance imaging （fMRI） to study brain activation have found that men and women respond differently to positive and negative stimuli.

Men may direct more attention to sensory aspects of emotional stimuli and tend to process them in terms of implications for required action, whereas women direct more attention to the feelings engendered by emotional stimuli.

For the study, Researchers recruited 40 right-handed volunteers, 21 men and 19 women, between the ages of 18 and 36. The images were displayed in two runs. For the first run, only negative pictures were shown. For the second run, only positive pictures were shown.

While viewing the negative images, women showed decidedly stronger and more extensive activation in the left thalamus, which relays sensory information to and from the cerebral cortex, including the pain and pleasure centers. Men exhibited more activation in the left insula, which gauges the physiological state of the entire body and then generates subjective feelings that can bring about actions. Information from the insula is relayed to other brain structures involved in decision making.

The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary functions, including respiration, heart rate and digestion, and helps to adjust certain functions in response to stress or other environmental stimuli. It is responsible for the body's "fight or flight" response to threatening situations.

While viewing positive images, women showed stronger and more extensive activation in the right superior temporal gyrus, which is involved in auditory processing and memory. Men exhibited stronger activation in the bilateral occipital lobes, which are associated with visual processing.

研究者使用磁共振成像功能研究人大脑的活动，研究发现男女对积极刺激和消极刺激的反应不同。

男人更多关注情感刺激的知觉效应，倾向于解决实际问题，相反女人则更多关注情感刺激的感觉。

为了这项研究，研究者招募了40个用右手的志愿者，包括21个男人和19个女人，年龄在18到36岁之间。通过两次测试显示图像信息。第一次测试仅显示消极图像信息。第二次测试仅显示积极图像信息。

当观察消极图像信息时，女人的左丘脑反应强烈，特别活跃，分程传递了大脑皮层的感知觉信息，包括痛苦和快乐的中心。男人则显示左脑岛活跃，可以精确估计整个身体的生理状态，然后产生自觉，采取行动。来自脑岛的信息接力传递到采取决定的其他脑结构。

自动神经系统控制着无意识的功能，包括呼吸、心率和领悟，并有助于调整特定功能，以应对压力或者其他环境刺激。这项功能负责身体应对危险环境是"战斗或逃走"的反应。

当观察积极反应图像时，女人的右上颞脑回反应强烈，更加活跃，这有关听觉处理和记忆。男人则在双侧枕骨叶更加活跃，这关涉到视觉处理。