Gender Differences - Communication

Question 1

Deborah Tannen (1990) was interested in debunking…

Answer 1

notions of male speech being the norm & female speech (if different) being required to change.

Question 2

Tannen’s early research recorded…

Answer 2

conversations between women and men

Question 3

Men tend to use…

Answer 3

Report talk

Question 4

List characteristics of report

Answer 4

Type of talk used in public speaking and for information sharing.
When telling jokes/stories or imparting information, they are comfortable w/being centre stage.
uses talk as a way of gaining & holding attention of their audience & to negotiate & maintain status.

Question 5

Women tend to use…

Answer 5

rapport talk

Question 6

Explain characteristics of rapport talk

Answer 6

Style is based on establishing relationships and intimacy, developing understanding and negotiating differences

Question 7

Tannen Considered that women enjoy private conversation … than men

Answer 7

more
- this requires sharing experiences

Question 8

Tannen Considered that women enjoy private conversation … than men

Answer 8

more
- this requires sharing experiences

Question 9

How have these talking styles of talking evolved from childhood (boys vs. girls)

Answer 9

They’ve socialised differently in terms of expectations about language style:
- Girls: taught about maintaining relationships through talking.
- Boys: taught about maintaining relationships through action

Question 10

List characteristics of rapport talk (from table)

Answer 10

Use talk to establish + maintain emotional connections
Focus on personal and small talk ‘chat’
Use talk to build relationships + maintain intimacy
Tend to talk over + above one another, overlapping + simultaneous talk

Question 11

List characteristics of report talk (from table)

Answer 11

Get more air time + exchange information w/little emotional connection
Are more public w/their talk
Use language to negotiate status + to avoid failure
Talk in turn

Question 12

Tannen that if men & women simply understand the differences in each other’s reasons for talking…

Answer 12

a lot of anguish can be avoided.

Question 13

Women shown to use more ‘mmm’ and ‘yeah’, what is this?

Answer 13

Confirmatory noises - to indicate that they’re listening

Question 14

Women use more … requests than men, e.g.

Answer 14

indirect
man - ‘shut the door’
woman - ‘would you mind closing the door?’

Question 15

Hedge

Answer 15

Common grammatical form in women’s rapport speech.
They are words/phrases that are used to lessen the impacts of a statement/request being made.
HOWEVER
Dallo (1996) - notes that hedges are used by both men + women & are more correctly thought of as a strategic device.