Gender influences/misconceptions in communication
Gender Influences on Identity:
How we view ourselves and the people around us is influenced by gender among other things. From infancy, we are taught to think about males and females in very different ways. This partly shapes our sense of self. In childhood, we tend to comment about boys size, strength, and activities and about girls beauty, kindness, and facial responsiveness; labeling some behaviours as masculine and others as feminine. This same principle occurs in adulthood. For example, men who stand up for themselves are seen as strong or tough, whereas women who do the same are labelled by negative connotations. Gender roles such as these can have a huge impact on how women and men view themselves and how they communicate. (Adler, Rolls, & Proctor 2012).
Gender influences on perception in social roles:
Societal gender stereotypes and roles affect perception considerably. Gender means the psychological and social expectations that are placed on males, females, and transgendered individuals. These expectations are socially approved ways that individuals are expected to behave and they are learned in several ways. Family, toys, peers, schools, fairy tales, and media are all areas where socially excepted behaviors are learned. For example, children are taught by their families that boys wear blue and girls wear pink or at department stores where the toys are divided by gender appropriate labels (kitchen sets & toy strollers in the girl section and train sets & action figures in the boys). All of these social groups model the types of communication that are appropriate in all situations. (Adler, Rolls, & Proctor 2012).
Gender influences on emotional expression:
Biological sex is the best predictor of the ability to detect and interpret emotional expressions. This is seen in women and their ability to be more attuned to emotions that men. Women are also 10-15% more accurate than men when it comes to remembering emotional images and their reactions to emotion producing stimuli. Women are more apt to show positive emotions and vulnerability whereas men are more likely to reveal their strength. (Adler, Rolls, & Proctor 2012).
Gender and language:
Men make their conversations more interesting by telling jokes and using humour/teasing whereas women typically don’t enjoy being teased. Women’s discussions usually involve relationships, personal problems, and feelings. Women gain a sense of satisfaction by speaking with friends about their