Women DO cry more than men, say scientists

AS STEREOTYPES go, it is one of the oldest. But women do shed a tear more often than men, a study shows.

Researchers said hormonal differences between the sexes could be to blame, but social conditioning plays a part too.

Women well up between 30 and 64 times a year, while men shed a tear between six and 17 times per year. And when women cry, it is also for longer than men. Researchers found women’s tears last for six minutes on average, while for men, they last for between two and three minutes.

The study was carried out by Professor Ad Vingerhoets, a clinical psychologist at Tilburg University in the Netherlands.

He spoke to more than 5,000 people in 37 countries and asked them questions about their emotional responses.

Among men, 66 per cent of participants cried for less than five minutes and 24 per cent cried for between six and 15 minutes. With women, however, 43 per cent cried for less than five minutes but 38 per cent cried for between six and 15 minutes.

And more than twice as many women cry for between 16 and 30 minutes than men.

Professor Vingerhoets said the differences ‘could perhaps be explained... by the fact that women more often watch tearjerkers and read sentimental literature’.

Previous studies showed women have higher levels of the hormone prolactin, which is associated with emotion.