SO men only talk to other men about four subjects: work, sport, jokes and sex. While, perhaps surprisingly, we women arent nearly so narrow minded.

Our girlie chats cover a wide range of subjects, says a new piece of research - from shopping to politics, contraception to world affairs and make-up to social problems.

It makes a change from women being seen as vacuous airheads, and I was quick to point out the findings, by a leading London psychologist, to my husband.

I get tired of him heaving sigh after sigh as I tune in to Brookside, and constantly muttering under his breath a word that rhymes with clap.

Needless to say, he used the same term to dismiss the research and to be honest, however much I wanted to believe it, when I really thought about it I wasnt convinced.

A little experiment was called for. A spot of inconspicuous note-taking while my female friends (three of them, ages ranging from 24 to 38) and I got together at my house one afternoon.

And, no, I didnt cheat by constantly changing the subject, by introducing the likes of world monetary policy and third-world debt. Over a two-hour period, this is what we discussed - I warn you it may be too highbrow for some readers:

Nail polish: Why some brands chip more easily than others. Among the questions raised was: Have you tested this for the T&A yet, Helen? Because some of them are really poor value for money. I dont wear it, but I regaled how I came to sport it on my toes in summer when my children daubed some hideous pink glitter concoction across my entire foot.

The men working on the gas main in our street: How they compare on looks, and how one of them, however tall, dark and handsome, is completely lacking in personality and sense of humour. Do you know, I said this and that to him, and he just looked blankly at me - I think that blond curly-haired one is nicer, was the sort of statement bandied about.

The sale at Monsoon: Why, despite their having lovely dresses for little girls, we could not possibly consider shopping there, but with prices slashed its worth it. We went on to discuss why you have to be careful when washing their crinkly skirts.

Sex and the City: How we even enjoy the repeats and how we cant wait for a new series. How we hope so much that Mr Big opens his eyes and realises how wonderful Carrie is compared with other tedious women.

Food: Whether we should have garlic bread with our pizza for lunch.

Although other things were touched upon, these were the main subjects we talked about. Five utterly inane topics. Not so much a passing mention of the war in Afghanistan or the arms decommissioning in Northern Ireland.

Whereas a 15-minute conversation between my husband and a neighbour covered not only gardening, DIY and nagging wives, but the anthrax scares, the ground offensive in Afghanistan and whether recently-built flood defences will prevent a repetition of last year.

I will never forget the night my husband held his own at a terrible dinner party with a bunch of awful intellectual types. I floundered constantly, had no idea what they were on about and could not disguise my trivia-soaked brain cells. In my experience, men talk about a far wider range of subjects, and usually more thoughtfully.

Of course, you do get women who ramble on about politics, architecture, philosophy and the like. Ive only one thing to say to them: You really should watch Brookside.