Gender Differences in Communication

Gender differences are found in non-verbal as well as verbal communication styles (Mc. Millan et
al., 1977; Feingold, 1994). The nature of the content of speech used by women in different from
that used by men. Women use a more speech pattern. But the way women talk, leads others to
evaluate them as less assertive and tentative. Women have tendency to add tags at the end of an
opinion instead of a straight opinion statement. They tend to raise the pitch at the end of a
sentence. When they add tags at the end of an opinion, women appear to be less certain about the
statement they are making. As a result of their use of tentative language, women are viewed as
less competent and knowledgeable; this opinion is not made in case of those using as assertive
style of speech (Martin, 1987; Carli, 1990; Crawford, 1995). Women, although stereotypically
considered talkative, talk less than men. Men are more talkative in a variety of settings. As
compared to women, men are more likely to interrupt others (Key, 1975).According to Davidson
and Duberman in a study of communication between pairs of best friends (1982), there are no
differences between men and women in terms of talking about topical issue like politics, current
events, movies, or work. However they differ in their discussion of relational and personal
topics. Women are more likely to make specific talk about:
 Personal aspects of their life, and
 their relationship with the friend

Men and women are not different, and are similar, in reciprocity in self-disclosure; if the intimacy
of the disclosure is increased by one person, the other person will be likely to respond similarly
(Cozby, 1973).