GAD101

• Communication


  The process of exchanging ideas and information through words or actions
• Verbal communication


  Related to words
• Non-verbal communication


  Related to actions and gestures
• Gender


  A socially constructed definition of women and men. The differences among women and men, based on some factors.
• It's been said that men and women are so different, they must be from different planets. John gray's famous book(over 15 million sold worldwide) , men are from mars, women are from Venus, popularized this theory through the title alone.
• In reality, we all come from Earth, but men and women do have different ways of speaking, thinking and communicating overall.
• Rationality


  All humans are highly emotional, men and women simply tend to show it in different ways. While a woman may cry when she's flooded with emotion, a man is more likely to get angry and become violent and stupid.
• Biologically-speaking, considering men are the physically stronger of the two, this makes sense.


  • Men are more likely to want to fight if the are angry or emotional. (Rational)
  • Women are the emotional ones because men can't express their emotion in the way they want to. (Emotional)
• Brain differences between men and women

  • Women develop more white brain matter
  • Men develop more gray brain matter (University of California, Irvine, 2005)
  • Male brain represents more information processing center
  • Female brain represents more networking between these processing centers
• This doesn't mean that men are smarter than women or vice versa. Sorry to disappoint you! It simply represents that men and women tend to do things differently.
• Verbal communication differences based on gender


  • Men: Avoid Personal stories, Attempt to control the conversation, Less likely to listen, More aggressive
  • Women: Share Personal stories, Form groups, Listen Carefully, Less aggressive
• Non-verbal communication differences based on gender


  • Men: Facial expression less, Avoid eye contact, More relaxed attitude, Average use of gestures
  • Women: Facial expression more, Prefer eye contact, More tense attitude, Use too much gestures
• Female communication style


  Complex, Literate, Socio intellectual, Aesthetic value, Detailed, More Questions, Facilitate Conversation
• Male communication style


  Argumentative, Aggressive, Forceful, Blunt, Intense Language, Control, Individualism
• Men and women can learn so much from each other if only the gender communication barriers can be broken. These barriers disappear with time, understanding, and effort. An investment of time is necessary to evaluate personal communicative style.
• Though life is busy and personal styles are comfortable but adaptation to gender communication promotes individual growth
• Genderlect


  Deborah Tannen's theory that describes the way the conversation of men and women are not right and wrong they are just different, as different cultures.
• Connection and status


  The fundamental difference is that women have a deep desire to seek connection, while men have a deep desire to seek status.
• Emotion and rapport


  In seeking connection, women will talk more about feelings, relationships and people. They will include more emotional elements in their talk and will encourage others to do the same. In seeking status, men will prefer solid facts.
• Private and public


  Women talk more in private conversations. Men talk more in a public forum, where their audience has the power to recognize them and give them the status they seek.
• Conflict


  Conflict, for a woman, is a process where connections are reduced, and so they will work hard to avoid them. Men, on the other hand, will use conflict as a short-cut to gaining status.
• Goals of genderlect


  Mutual respect and understanding. In contrast to feminist viewpoints that criticize men for inferior communication which extinguish women.
• Culture


  All socially transmitted behaviors, arts, languages, signs, symbols, ideas, beliefs, which is learnt and shared in a particular social group of the same type. Culture is handed down from one generation to another. A single culture may has many sub-cultures.
• Effects of cultural differences


  Cultural differences causes behavior and personality differences like body language, thinking, communication, manners. These differences create problems in normal communicating environment between two different genders of different cultures.
• Culture at work place


  In an organization it may be happens that a variety of people are working together. They may be different by their languages or by their cultures. But a point to be noted that two people of same culture (regard less of gender) will communicate very well.
• Cultural norms


  Different cultures owns different communicating etiquettes. (western culture : hand shake, hugging etc.) (Eastern culture : hand shake, hugging is considered improper)
• How to overcome cultural communication barriers


  By understanding cultural norms we can overcome the communicating barriers of other gender belonging to different cultures. By giving reasonable space to each other we can develop trust and can used to each other
• The fact is, women and men tend to have vastly different communication styles - styles that often cause more friction than fraternity.
• Female communication style


  Women generally adopt a collaborative communication style i.e. like to get input from others, talk about ideas out loud and ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to a project.
• Male communication style


  Men, on the other hand, don't need to have everyone on board. e.g. "If you're not on the bus, get off the bus". Command and control
• Bridging additional barriers of communication in the workplace


  • Getting Interrupted - Solution: Take control. Say: "Excuse me, I wasn't finished," or "Just a minute, I'm still talking."
  • Someone takes credit for your idea - Solution: Correct that coworker! Say: "I just said that a second ago," or "Thank you for reiterating my point."
  • You have to critique someone else's work - Solution: Forget the fancy talk. Be direct. Say: "This section doesn't accomplish what we need it to."
• Non-verbal communication


  Your movements and presentation can actually speak volumes
• Non-verbal communication differences based on gender


  • Nodding: Women nod to show understanding, Men interpret nodding as concurrence
  • Smiling: Women smile more than men, which can cause them to be interrupted more
  • Posture: Women engage in weak body posture, Men make more eye contact and stand tall
• Speaking of visual images, make sure you're dressed professionally and look the part. Professionally attractive is much preferred over provocatively adorned
• Language reflects culture


  Cultural meanings and values are verbalized and transmitted through language. As a result, language becomes a tool for perpetuating stereotypes.
• Language affects socialization


  We learn the norms of the society or group that we are in, and conform to these norms. Children learning a language absorb all the underlying meanings of words. Inequalities reflected in language can affect the child's beliefs and behaviours.
• Gender-based discrimination


  Any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex, which has the purpose or effect of denying equal exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms.
• Sexism in language


  Use of language that devalues members of a sex or gender, and thus fosters gender inequality.
• Sexism in language is considered gender-based discrimination because it renders members of one sex or gender invisible or trivializes them, perpetuates notions of male supremacy, and promotes gender role stereotyping.
• Kinds of sexist language


  • Language which excludes members of one sex or gender or renders them invisible
  • Use of the generic "Man"
  • Use of the generic "He" and "His"
  • Stereotyping in job titles and terms