Women are from Venus, and Men are from Mars
Well, there is some truth in this statement. OK, maybe not literally… but there is evidence that suggest men and women communicate differently.
Lakoff (1973) proposed a theory called: “Women’s Language” which suggested that the spoken language used by women used devices that are inferior and powerless in comparison to men. But oh boy was she wrong.
Although there was some truth in stating that there is a difference between the spoken language of men and women, much of the empirical support points the inferiority in the opposite direction. Holmes (1985) conducted a series of research that looked at two devices which Lakoff suggested women used that made their language inferior in comparison. These were hedges (“I think”) and tag questions (“don’t you?”). Holmes found that, lo and behold, most women used these devices to indicate certainty and to facilitate conversation. In contrast, most of the men used these devices with opposite intentions, suggesting that it is actually the “Man’s Language” that is inferior.
Women also think that men don’t listen, and men think that women are controlling. True? Well, perhaps it’s due to communication conflict. Women nod along more frequently to show that they understand the conversation, whereas men feel the need to do this less. This can then be incorrectly interpreted, and thus… leading both sexes thinking the opposite is a bad communicator.
So remember… communication is one of the keys in a successful relationship – just don’t interpret it the wrong way!
My Psychological Ramblings... 