Does this explain the Kevin phenomenon? It might be behind the social ineptitude of early adolescents, the seeming inability to understand the two expressions that have this dip most strikingly - sadness and anger.

One wonders sometimes if they understand anything you are saying. It would appear that this is a function of their brain at that time.

It may be that they are simply unable to read them.

This perhaps won't come as a surprise to teachers; they say 'We do feel boys are less socially aware'. But this is the first evidence that there is a substantial difference in the ability to read emotions.

We're talking about a fairly substantial proportion of boys. One in five boys is worse than [most] girls.

Teenagers really do get 'dumber' in their social intelligence around the time of puberty.

The theory that autism is the extreme of the male brain is not strongly supported by these data.

There is deterioration for some facial expressions, particularly sadness and anger, at puberty for boys and girls. If anything it's actually worse for girls.