Gender-based communication

GENDER BASED

COMMUNICATION

SEX AND GENDER

Sex

◦biological and

physiological

characteristics

that define

men and

women

Gender

◦ socially

constructed roles

that a given

society considers

appropriate for

men and women

GENDER refers to the socially constructed roles,

behaviors, activities, and attributes that a

given society considers appropriate for

men and women.

"Male" and "female" are sex

categories, while "masculine" and

"feminine" are gender categories.

Verbal Communication

Differences based on Gender

MEN (Masculine) WOMEN (Feminine)

Avoid Personal stories

Attempt to dominate the

conversation

Less likely to listen

More aggressive, more

prone to interrupt

Share Personal stories

Offer Personal stories

Concerned with

equalized input

Form groups

Listen Carefully /

Attentively

Allow themselves to be

interrupted more

Non-Verbal Communication

Differences based on Gender

Body language Men Women

Facial expression Less More

Eye contact Avoid Prefer

Posture More relaxed More tense

Bodily proximity Less Closer

Touching Sexual interest Warmth and friendship

REASONS FOR THESE DIFFERENCES

BRAIN STRUCTURE

◦ Most of Men’s activities are dominated by the

Left Brain while most of Women’s activities

are dominated by the Right Brain.

SOCIALIZATION

◦ The upbringing of the person

◦ The culture he/she was brought up in

◦ Example: a man who grew up with three

sisters and was, therefore, influenced by a

culture of females against a man who grew up

with brothers and sisters and lived in a diverse

neighborhood.

Male and Female Stereotypes

General Stereotypes

Men

Logic

Power

Winning

Independent

Competitive

Women

Feeling

Sharing

Closeness

Intimate

Relational

UNDERSTANDING GENDER DIFFERENCES

A BALANCED APPROACH TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

Understand the motivation behind the behavior

Recognize your own communication style and bias

Be respectful and open to the other person’s communication style and values

Work on compromise to bring out the strengths of the communication style

“The real issue [in workplace conflict] is

lack of gender intelligence. We need to

appreciate and respect the differences

between men and women; to anticipate

them and respond appropriately to them.”

- John GrayAuthor, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus

MANAGING COMMUNICATION CONFLICT

REFERENCES

www.huffingtonpost.com ◦ The Mystery of Sensitive Men and Spock-Logic

Women | Charles R. Martin, Ph.D.

◦ Male and Female Communication

www.fastcompany.com◦ Are We Speaking A Different Language? Men And

Women's Communication Blind Spots | Fast Company | Business + Innovation

www.discovery.com◦ 10 Ways Men and Women Communicate

Differently | Curiosity | Discovery

◦ Non-Verbal Communication

◦ Body Orientation

REFERENCES

psychcentral.com

◦ 6 Ways Men & Women Communicate

Differently | World of Psychology

science.howstuffworks.com

◦ Male and Female Brain Structure

blog.workhealthlife.com

◦ Communication styles: Understanding gender

differences

scholarworks.umass.edu

◦ "Popular belief in gender -based

communication differences and relation" by Ann

Michelle Johnson

REFERENCES

www.who.int

◦ WHO | What do we mean by "sex" and

"gender"?

www.cam.ac.uk

◦ Males and females differ in specific brain

structures | University of Cambridge

www.webmd.com

◦ How Male and Female Brains Differ

www.psychologyhelp.com

◦ LEFT BRAIN – RIGHT BRAIN