Premium Essay

How Men and Women Communicate Differently

In:

Submitted By henrikues
Words 270
Pages 2
Henrique Donati 08/30/2012

How men and women communicate differently?

“Man and women are different”, everybody knows that. But when it is about communication, those differences multiply themselves.
According to Richard Drobnick, from Mars and Venus counseling center, “he (men) believes that communication should have a clear purpose” while “she (women) uses communication to discover how she is feeling”. It means that men communicate looking for an answer or solution while women communicate to share their feelings and to learn more about their listener.
The way men and women communicate with their own gender is different too. Men use lots of trash talk, showing some kind of need to keep themselves at the top of the power hierarchy, and women chitchat and gossip, showing their need to talk about others and share their emotions about it.
All those communicating differences can affect the work environment as well. According to Beth banks and Roz Usheroff (authors of “How men and women communicate differently at work”), “male sometimes ask few questions, fearing that doing so will communicate to others that they don`t know something”, meaning that men always want to be the intelligent one people will ask questions for, while woman don`t need this kind of prestige and “try to maintain an appearance of equality among everyone”.
To sum up, there are differences between the way genders communicate and it can affect their lives and work. There are also many studies about that, talking about why and how men communicate differently than women. But in the end, there is nothing to do about that, we need to live with

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Gender Language

...Gender Language Subconsciously, we are all aware that males and females communicate differently. Some of us may not know why, however, we notice that males and females communicate in certain ways. When men communicate with others, they are considered to be confident and straightforward. In contrast, women are more timid and sensitive. Males and females communicate that way because they were taught to do so when they were younger. In school, boys and girls create their own way to communicate socially with their classmates. Boys would try to make everything similar to a competition and females are more about giving everyone a chance. In a workplace, males are projected as being more dominant and females are displayed as being fair. When males and females communicate, males are more likely to play a dominant role in a conversation because males subconsciously expose their masculinity. Deborah Tannen was one of the reliable sources that thoroughly elaborates the communication between male and female. Tannen is currently university professor and professor of linguistics at Georgetown University. She received a Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of California in 1979 and has done a numerous amount research on a broad range of topics. She wrote 22 books that created connections with analysis of conversational discourse, spoken and written language, orality and literacy, doctor-patient communication, cross-cultural communication, modern Greek discourse, the relationship between...

Words: 2185 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Gender Communication

...nobody rested. This is a joke commonly told by men to describe how differently most women communicate, and although greatly exaggerated there is some truth to it. There is no denying it, men and women communicate differently. Men mostly communicate to get status or simply to share information, while women communicate to be more intimate and connect. I will show you how I both follow this standard and how I break away from it. “Men typically ascribe some kind of reason or bottom line to the talk of women…” (Johns et al. 76) I, like most men communicate to share information. When people tell me things I usually think that they must be going somewhere with it, that they have a point to what they are saying. This is mostly true of men, but not always true of women. For example, my friend Caitlin called me up to “vent” because she was angry over a recent misunderstanding. She proceeded to tell me all about it and I made the mistake of asking her “so…what’s your point?” Needless to say she thought I was a jerk and hung up on me. I did not know at the time that all she wanted was a little empathy but that’s not how I was used to communicating. “…men typically see concern as condescending…” (Johns et al. 77) I unlike most men do not see concern as condescending. I like it when people genuinely care about me and I try to treat them the same way. For example, I recently had a former church leader of mine call me up. He wanted to know how I was doing, even though I hadn’t seen him in...

Words: 431 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Sociology Research

...On Misinterpreted Signals In Relationships II. Research Objectives: 1) To identify the differences in the communication style between men and women. 2) To help men and women understand the other’s non-verbal signals in a more profound way. 3) To reduce misunderstandings between couples by helping them read the signals given by the other. III. Research Questions: 1) How does the communication style differ between men and female? 2) How can men and women understand each other’s non-verbal signals? 3) How can men and women reduce misunderstandings that stem from misinterpreting signals? Problem Statement Why is it important to understand the differences in non-verbal communication between men and women. IV. Methodology: The methodology chosen for this research is qualitative. This research will be based on the movie He’s Just Not That Into You, directed by Ken Kwapis that depicts the inter-connecting stories of various couples that go through many conflicts due to misinterpreted signals. A movie analysis will be conducted to study each character, their style of communication, their dialogs, and their non-verbal communication. I will also study how the person they are communicating with interprets the message and how the misinterpretation of a message causes conflicts among the characters. V. Limitations: While conducting this research, there are a few...

Words: 1228 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Paper

...Truths 34,35,37 & 38 One of the key ingredients to a good performance management system and managing employees perceptions is effective communication.  This means that what you intend to say or otherwise communicate is clearly understood by the person(s) receiving the message and interpreted exactly as it was meant to be.  While this sounds like a simle process, it often breaks down.  What do you do to ensure effective communications? To ensure effective communication between myself and employees, I not only use verbal communication, but I also use memos, binders, quizzes and meeting to make sure everyone understands the information. I also use active listening, in my personal life and at work. When you listen to people they feel like you care, which therefore leads to more information about the person. Truth 36 Do men and women really communicate differently??   Men and women definitely communicate differently. There are some women or men who communicate outside the normal range of male and female communication, but on average men and woman do communicate differently. The book gives an example, “Men frequently complain that women ramble on and on about their problems. Women criticize men for not listening.” I see this so often in my personal life and at work. A man hears a problem and wants to fix it. A woman just wants to have someone to share her day or problem with and is not necessarily looking for a solution. Truth 39 Since this class is communicated "digitally"...

Words: 374 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Different Communication Styles Among Management

...Lisosky Different Communication Styles Among Management BUS501: Business Communication Dr. Conry August 30th, 2015 Introduction This paper will explore the communication styles of two different managers from the author's current or most recent workplace. The manager's styles of communications will be compared and contrasted. Technology also plays a role in communication style, which will be further discussed. This paper will determine which manager has the most effective form of communication as well as determine long-term consequences for each manager's communication style. Every manager or leader has a distinct style of communication. The style of communication affects the manager's ability to connect with others. It also affects how the manager is perceived by others and whether those people will trust the manager. The Four Styles of Communication There are four main styles of communication: the support-relater, the analyzer-thinker, the promoter-socializer, and the controller-director (Stirling, 2009). The support-relater is a person who is very easy to work with and strives for good team morale (Communication Styles). The analyzer-thinker is a person who is socially reserver and has a more analytical communication style (Fung, 2014). The promoter-socializer prefers to work with others and build social relationships. They also have a fast-paced, aggressive communication style (Communication Styles). The fourth and final communication style is the controller-director...

Words: 1047 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Gender Differences in Working and Communicating with Others

...another can be categorized as communication. Communicating can be taken for granted since we all do this every day, however, it is important we have the skills to know how to properly communicate with one another. Everyone communicates differently due to their education background, where they were raised, age and gender. The one, which I am going to focus on is gender and what impact that, has on communication. There are clear gender differences in how we communicate and this can even have an affect in the workplace, such as situations can arise where there are misunderstandings between men and women. The way in which men and women communicate stem from the differences in the brain. One major structural difference is that “males generally have more activity in the mechanical centers of the brain, while women have more activity in centers of the brain dedicated to verbal communication and emotion” (Wikninews). In female brains the corpus callosum, the part of the brain that regulates communication within the brain is larger than the male’s. Another difference is “the male brain is characterized by systemizing tendencies and mechanistic thinking. Systemizing is the drive to analyze, explore, and construct a system” (Kanazawa). On the other hand, the female brain is characterized by empathizing tendencies. Women tend to empathize, identify with another person’s emotions and thoughts, and to respond to them with an...

Words: 2816 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Gender and Communication

...it’s safe to say that men and women are different in so many ways. We act differently, look different and we communicate differently. These differences can cause conflicts from time to time which often lead to misunderstandings. For communication between men and women to be effective, we must recognize the differences between male and female communication styles. In this paper, I will be discussing the different communication styles between men and women and how these differences play a major role in the workplace. According to Anne Meier (1999, pp. 115-119), “There exist numerous stereotypes in the way men and women communicate”. We will first begin with the most common form of communication….talking. “One of the most common notions is that women talk more than men. Women are also thought to participate in "empty talk," dealing with trivial and unimportant matters. While women's speech is believed to be unassertive and lacking in power, men's speech is viewed as bold and aggressive. Men and women typically talk about different things. In general, women talk more about their feelings than men do, regardless of to whom they are speaking. Women, in conversation with women, discuss personal matters, relationships, family, health and reproduction. Men discuss music, current events, sports, business and other men. Men control the topic of conversation, and may use abrupt and direct methods to do so, especially in dyads with women. More than men, women use linguistic forms which...

Words: 288 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Verbal or Nonverbal

...Verbal and Nonverbal Tajanae Kane SOC/110 December 17, 2012 Victoria Yancey Introduction This paper will discuss the relevance of Ch. 7 verbal and nonverbal communication between cultures and genders. I will answer the following questions: How do people communicate? How are verbal and nonverbal communications different? Provide examples. What are challenges in communicating between genders? How might someone of the opposite gender understand similar information differently than you? Provide examples. What are challenges in communicating across cultures? How might someone from another cultural background understand communication styles differently than you? Provide examples. How might you communicate more effectively in diverse environments? Provide examples. How do people communicate? How are verbal and nonverbal communications different? Provide examples. Everyone has a different way of communicate with each other weather you realize it or not. It can range from eye contact, body language, verbal, and nonverbal communication. But, we are going to focus on verbal and nonverbal communication, verbal communication “ Focuses on how you use words and language,” (Engleberg & Wynn, 2010, pp163). Verbal communication is used in many places from the work place, school, and general conversation with a spouse, friends, members of families, and even strangers. Nonverbal communication “refers to message component other than words that generate meanings,” (Engleberg &...

Words: 858 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Gender Differences: Workplace Communications Styles Exhibited by Men and Women

...communication. Everyone communicates differently because of their backgrounds, their environment, their gender all have a reflection on their perception and their ways of communicating. Gender is known to have the most differences in everything, especially communication. Women like to talk and be open about any topic, while men are quieter and more to themselves. Since men and women tend to have different points of view, their conversations tend to be different. Research shows that “women use communication as a tool to enhance social connections and create relationships,” while men use communication to show dominance and reach actual goals (Merchant, 2012). Women like to have many close relationships with friends, co-workers, and families, while men don’t care for close relationships outside their immediate family. Woman will use the relationships she establishes in a workplace to get the things she needs done. While a man will use his dominance to get what he needs done. If a business values employees’ opinions than a demanding approach wouldn’t be as effective as a persuasive approach, which a woman would use due to her relationships. Women communicate to build relationships and bonds with people, to help them through life. They have concern for others; they aren’t like men, selfish. Women don’t have the tendency to use powerful words and speak politely. Women tend to become emotional and attached to conversations. Because of the soft speaking, women are looked upon as the...

Words: 1195 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

The Importance Of Body Language

...with 7.6 billion men and women, did you ever come to wonder what our body language or how we speak differently towards the other sex might mean? If you couldn’t already tell men are from Mars and women are from Venus, well that’s just a saying In another word this means men and women are polar opposites from each other.We speak differently towards each other and even our body language towards each other is different too! Why might that be? I research how and why men and women talk differently towards each other, even our body language. In my research, I found that this is a common question, since the early 90s, on how the minds of men and women think differently. For example in the book “ Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” written by John Gray. He...

Words: 1279 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Genders

...Thinking from women’s lives. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Kramarae, C. (1981). Women and men speaking. Rowley, MA: Newbury House. Tannen, D. (1990). You just don’t understand. New York: Ballantine. Genderlect Theory – Deborah Tannen Tannen believes that the best way to describe communication between the genders is in a cross-cultural format. Women use rapport talk to establish meaningful connection with others, while men use report talk to gain status in relation to others. Because women and men use language differently, Tannen suggests they are speaking different dialects, or genderlects. The goal of genderlect theory is to acknowledge and appreciate the language of the opposite sex and achieve mutual respect and understanding. (Semiotic and socio-cultural traditions) Genderlect theory is evaluated on the back of this page. |Tenet |Clarification | | | | |Why We Communicate: Women seek connection, men seek status. |Women engage in communication to build and maintain relationships with | | |others. By contrast, men are more likely to engage in talk only when it| | ...

Words: 758 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Paper

...Running Head: MEN VERSUS WOMEN 1 MEN VERSUS WOMEN MEN VERSUS WOMEN 2 Men versus Women Ladies and gentlemen on the left hand side of the ring you have the woman and on your right hand side you have the man. This battle has been going on for ages, with no winner as of yet. But tonight we will try to finish this long battle and see who the all-time winner is going to be. Whose side are you on? They both have their strong points but only one can walk away the winner. So ladies and gentlemen place your bets and let the fight begin The woman makes the first move. She is trying to communicate to the man. Because let’s face it even in the ring women are going to want to talk. It has been shown that women communicate more effectively than men do; they focus on making a solution that works. Women send out a lot if nonverbal cues like body language, emotion, and tone. Men however are more tasks orientated less talkative and more isolated. Men have a hard time understanding emotion. This is why men and women don’t communicate well sometimes. When one person is more isolated than the other communication will be the first thing to go. Without communication what is the point of being able to talk. Everyone in the audience can feel the stress in the ring. It’s radiating off both the man and woman. But let’s face it stress is everywhere but we all process it differently. Men tend to be more fight or flight in their response to it. This fight or flight response basically...

Words: 936 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Men Are from Mars

...Introduction Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus was written by marriage counselor and seminar leader John Gray. He provides a unique and practical way for men and women to communicate effectively. This allows them to relate better by acknowledging the differences between them. The book offers real life stories that entertains the reader, but also allows them to gain insight about the opposite sex. The book focuses on the differences between men and women. Not only does the book offer examples of how men and women react differently, but it offers suggestions on how to communicate more effectively (Gray, 1992). Summary This book was recognized by New York Times as the number one best seller in 1995. The knowledge gained from Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus is not only beneficial for personal relationships, but it can also be utilized in the professional setting as well. The knowledge that is demonstrated in this book can be applied to all arenas of one's life. This book allows men and women to recognize the differences between communication styles; which is one of the most important factors to have in order to work effectively (Gray, 1992). Definitions John Gray, author of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus conveys through several definitions. One definition explains how men go to their “caves” when they stress or de-stress. Men have a tendency to become withdrawn and want to be left alone. Women on the other hand talk about issues. She...

Words: 1114 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Gender Differences

...devoted to the idea that women and men communicate very differently—in fact, it is sometimes stated that women and men communicate so differently from one another that they must come from different planets! Although at times differences in women’s and men’s communication styles seem to be constant and overwhelming, they are really quite minor. For example, both women and men can be nurturing, aggressive, task-focused, or sentimental. What is important to think about, however, is that women and men sometimes perceive the same messages to have different meanings. In fact, it may be as a result of the differences in message interpretation that the “battle of the sexes” occurs. Studies indicate that women, to a greater extent than men, are sensitive to the interpersonal meanings that lie “between the lines” in the messages they exchange with their mates. That is, societal expectations often make women responsible for regulating intimacy, or how close they allow others to come. For that reason, it is argued that women pay more attention than men to the underlying meanings about intimacy that messages imply. Men on the other hand, to a greater extent than women, are more sensitive to “between the lines meanings” about status. For men, societal expectations are that they must negotiate hierarchy, or who’s the captain and who’s the crew (Tannen, 1990; Wood, 2009). These differences in emphasis on interpersonal vs. status implications of messages typically lead women to expect relationships...

Words: 1344 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Language Style Matching

...named Terry Orbuch studied hundreds of married couples over a twenty-year span. In the article Can we talk? Orbuch explains the role of communication and how this relates to having a happy marriage. The article will explain her findings to strengthen relationships. Moreover, then discuss our relationship experiences with self-disclosure how we may agree with it being satisfying in a relationship or how it may not be. Also, gender differences will be discussed to what type of similarities have been experienced. Some individuals have been at a restaurant or couples on a date that comment on that couple that has been sitting in silence. Sometimes you might independently think are they uninterested irritated, angry or all of the above. This article “can we talk” explains that a British dating site recently set off a comprehensive discussion claiming that a couple married for fifty years will be communicative to each other only three minutes an hour while having an evening meal (Schoenberg, 2011). Although Orbuch a relationship expert sees this as not a concern as she goes on to explain it is not about magnitude, it is the reliable superiority communication Terry Orbuch states, “you can have a two-hour conversation and not talk about anything of substance or value or quality (Schoenberg, 2011). There are many questions how to nurture and maintain the kind of communication that is knotted to long-term marriages (Schoenberg, 2011). When couples are discussing daily routines...

Words: 1113 - Pages: 5