Griffin prefaces the final theories he discusses in the section on gender and communication. He notes that "most of us believe that women and men interact differently." These differences have been popularized in books such as Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus by John Gray. In an article published in the Southern Communication Journal several years ago, Julia Wood argues persuasively that such popular press notions are inconsistent with empirical research. For example, she states, "well-grounded research refutes three of Gray's claims about the sexes' desires to be needed and cherished" (p. 204). Most important, Wood argues, is that accepting stereotypes of women and men means that "we should neither challenge nor try to change how we act" (p. 208).
Similar to Wood's argument, Griffin presents three cautions about the assumptions you may have regarding gender differences. First, he notes that empirical research has found more similarities in the ways in which women and men communicate than differences. Second, communication styles vary more within each group (within women and within men) than between women and men. Third, sex is grounded in biology whereas gender is socially-constructed. So what is considered feminine and what is considered masculine arise through our interactions with others.
If you're interested in reading the Wood article, the citation is:
Wood, J. (2002). A critical response to John Gray's Mars and Venus Portrayals of men and women. Southern Communication Journal, 67, 201-210.
~ Professor Cyborg
Week 15 #3
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Self-image affects communication. " I" is that people are birth with, but "
me " is affected by environment, family, and culture.Ting-Toomey defines
that p...
15 years ago
3 comments:
I agree with all three of Griffin’s cautions about gender assumptions. The first argument is about there being more similarities than differences within men and women’s communication styles. I have many more male friends than I do female friends, mostly because my communication style meshes better with my male friends. Not just because they are men, but also because as humans, we communicate in similar ways. And I agree with the second argument about how communication styles vary more within a group of women or a group of men, than they do between genders. I have female friends that I find it much harder to communicate with, than I do with the men in my life. The third caution he presents is how gender is socially constructed. I like how he clearly defines and states the biology of sex as opposed to gender. We are born with a certain biological sex, but we are “born into” these socially constructed gender patterns and roles.
Thank you for your comment, Cinderella. Publications like Mars/Venus set back by decades (if not centuries) communication between the sexes. Such writing/thinking allows people to get away with say, "I can't communicate with her/him because women and men speak different languages." Taking the perspective that as humans we share many similar experiences allows us to find common ground with all people regardless of biological differences.
I'm one of those who do believe that men and women interact differently, or at least have different thought processes. I actually read Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus recently so it's funny that it is a highlight of this chapter. It seems it's so silly of a notion but also common sense (at least that's what I thought when reading). I do agree on the fact that these "differences" are probably taken to the extremes and used to justify behavior that one sex may find unacceptable, which shouldn't be the case. I think that anyone should be careful when making ANY assumption. Because sometimes it is not safe to assume, or accurate I should say.
Nevertheless, having read the book and your BLOG, I'm very interested in reading Wood's article, so I will have to find that one!
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