In contrast, women s use of verbal strategies to process information and solve problems provides evidence that they are left brain hemisphere dependent. At the beginning of their childhood through socialization young girls are taught to avoid risk taking and to play in a non-competitive fashion. In contrast, boys are taught to play in a competitive and dominant atmosphere. Girls play with dolls in small social groups that involve a lot of verbalizing while boys play in larger groups and like to engage in games that often have rules and not a great deal of talking. This evidence may give reasons why females disengage in further exploration in risk taking subjects such as math and science.
Interaction grouping patterns are evident when gender groups segregate themselves from each other.
Girls usually play in small groups while boys play in larger groups. The same interaction patterns are evident between teacher and student interaction in the classroom. These patterns begin early in kindergarten where male students receive more of the teachers attention and frequently ask more questions than females and are given more time to talk in class. Again, these differences in treatment might contribute to girls lower self esteem, lower self-confidence, and reduce risk taking. Teachers may be unconsciously aware of paying too much attention to male students and unintentionally sending subliminal messages for girls to be silent and inactive in the classroom.