Gender and Communication

1. Gender and Communication Culture is „collective programming of the mind that is a manifestation of the value systems of various groups which is able to sustain itself over long periods of time.“ Hofstede (1991)

2. Sex, Gender, and Gender Roles Sex is defined as the grouping of humans in two biological categories, males and females. Gender refers the meanings that societies and individuals ascribe to female and male categories and Gender roles are those social roles a society defines for women and men.

3. Basic gender attributes Research demonstrates as well, that: men are expected to have high levels of agentic attributes (independent, masterful, assertive, competent) and womento have high levels of communal attributes (friendly, unselfish, emotionally, expressive).

4. Understanding Gender Differences Many aspects relating to sex and gender can probably be understood by means of structure and power, established by the „gendered substructure“ (Acker 1992:225) and through gender-specific communication in public life.

5. Communication: Communication may be defined as „the process of using verbal and nonverbal cues to negotiate a mutually acceptable meaning between two or more people within a particular context and environment.“ (Lumsden & Lumsden 2000) Communication can be categorized into effective and ineffective methods

6. Effective Communication Productive styles Faciliative/ Commanding/ Equal…………………………………………………………… Autoritative responsible confirming appropriate Tactfully assertive………………………………………Directly assertive

7. Ineffective Communication Unproductive styles Passiv/ hostile/ aggressive…………………………………………………. divisive not responsible disconfirming inappropriate Aggressive/ Non participative………………………………………..indirect

8. Male communication - as status asserting, dominant and negative - display of high levels of visual dominance, power and status - keeping people in eyecontact and time control, - intrusive interruption of others to gain the floor in conversation adapted to wide variety of social and professional contexts - associated with formal leadership and authority in groups

9. Female communication - disclose more personal information - collaborative and warm - more supportive and open - encourage others´ speech - reinforcing by minimal verbal responses - mitigated speech - less aggressive/assertive e.g. Carli (2000), Mulac (1998), Grob et.al. (1997)

10. Gender and Leadership Female leaders - display a more democratic style - encourage people working together - involve others in decisions - mentor and empower the people they lead Male leaders - display a more autocratic style - discourage participation of others in decisions - assert control and authority - reward and punish the people they lead (e.g. Eagle et al 2003)

11. Things to Consider Look at:  Gender Composition  Power  Social influence

12. Gender Differerences in Groups Here are several ways that men and women differing in group interactions: smiling, social behaviour, verbal reinforcement encouragement self-disclosure

13. Reactions to Gender and Power Differences in problem-solvingand dominance have been more pronounced in mixed gender interactions, reflecting a softer approach and less dominance toward men. That means: People display greater willingness towards problem-solvingand less visual dominance to men than to women. Men speak in a more subduedmanner when talking to other menthan when talking to women. (Sayers & Sherblom 1987)

14. How do STEREOTYPES affect gender communication? • Various studies have revealed that, • - Both men and women exert greater influence when communicating • in a gender stereotypical manner. • And other research show that women face far more serious • consequences than men when they violate gender-role norms. • - Highly dominant behaviour by women is not surprising ineffective. • - Apparently dominant, assertive, direct or even merely competent • communications are particularly problematic for women. • As a result, women have a narrower repertoire of behaviours • for gaining social influence than men.

15. As a result: Women who are too agentically competent may be disliked as people evaluate women who exhibit an exeptional level of managerial competence more negatively than their exceptionally competent male counterparts-seeing the competent female manager as having a less desirable Personality. Display of communal behaviour can blunt the threat of female competence. (Heilman et. Al. 2004)

16. Male perceptions and preferences: In relation to (western) values of individualism and gendered hierachy in society,men * prefer one person to talk at a time * interpret any invasion into their turn as violation of their sole- speaker-right favour competition in talks * attempt to become dominant

17. Female perceptions and preferences In relation to socialization and segregation of private and public spheres in society,women * prefer inclusivness and egalitarianism * prefer ensemble or melded conversation floors * achieve collaborative floors through overlapping speech and completion of another woman´s utterane * share knowledge and experience. (e.g. Coates 1994; Coates 1996)