Many men and women seem to speak different languages in terms of content and reasons for communicating.

Content

Even though gender roles have changed since research regarding gender issues began, the results are still remarkably similar.

Each thinks that what was important to the other was trivial.

Reasons for Communicating

Men and women share the same goals for communicating

to be enjoyable

to show interest in what the other person is saying

Each uses language to build and maintain relationships.

Communication style is one of the strongest pieces of evidence of a co-culture. As children, they socialize differently. Girls are team players and depend on cooperation. Boys are most individualistic with highly competitive games. They even play on different playgrounds. The result is that each sex practices communication differently.

The rules we learn as children remain with us as we grow older.

Women's talk is more expressive and concerned with feelings. When they listen, theyy tend to make responsive noises to indicate their interest in the conversation. Men place more emphasis on on using communication as an insturment and so avoid verbnl responses.

It makes sense the many women at work feel that men aren't listening because they don't express attention.

Men's talk is instrumental and competitive.

(Research study conducted by Maltz & Borker, 1982).

Conversational Style

Men and women behave differently in conversation.

Women ask more questions, but in mixed company, men talk for longer.

Men talk for longer in large groups. Men interrupt more often. Women talk for longer in small groups.

How do they succesfully communicate? Remember that women are more likely to accomodate men's choice of topic, including if it is himself that he wants to talk about.

Listening

Nature | Perception  | Languages |Listening | Modalities

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