Study: Women Get More Easily Annoyed Than Men

Just about anyone is capable of exuding annoying behaviour that inspires the recipients of it to either lash out, or find excuses not to hangout with an individual. As you’re reading this, there is at least one person in the world who finds you too annoying for words. Don’t feel bad, though, not everyone is meant to fit together like puzzle pieces.

Recently, Michigan State University (MSU) conducted a study to determine who gets more easily annoyed by others: men or women. After surveying 235 people, it was discovered that women have a more sensitive hairline trigger when unbearable behaviour is nearby.

“Women generally are more sensitive to other people’s annoying behaviour than men,” said MSU’s Christopher J. Hopwood, a researcher and practicing therapist. “They’re maybe more socially aware, on average, and so perhaps it’s easier for them to pick out things that are annoying than men are.”

To reach its conclusion, MSU’s study consisted of evaluating how women and men “differ in their sensitivities to the aversive behaviour of the people with whom they interact.” The aversive behaviours analyzed by researchers included being antagonistic, controlling, as well as overly or inappropriately affectionate.

While this is a fascinating theory, it’s pretty impossible to unequivocally declare one gender more capable of being annoyed than the other. After all, everyone experiences different daily levels of stress and natural fluctuations of emotion that can sometimes make being patient with people a tricky thing. When caught in the wrong mood around weird behaviour, anyone – regardless of gender – is capable of snapping spectacularly. And when they do, watch out!

If you find yourself in that position, please, take a breath and look for your happy place – that’s far more socially acceptable (and advised) than flying off the handle.

-Adam Grant