Paper on Gender Communication: Bridging the Gap Between Boys & Girls

Just like the ideas of society have transitioned over time, the same also applies to the scientific study of gender communication. It has been claimed that men and women are different creatures, and they might have come from different planets. In the real sense, both men and women are from the same planet that is earth, but they do have various patterns of communicating, thinking, and speaking overall. Boys and girls are usually segregated when they are growing up, restricting them from socializing with people of their gender solely. As a result, a difference in communication exists between men and women, pushing both of them to communicate for reasons that are contrasting (Paudel et al., 2018).

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Therefore, gender communication patterns include Paralanguage - a communication pattern that is non-lexical by speech, for instance, speed of speaking, gestures, pitch, facial expression, and intonation. Women use paralanguage much more than men. It entails gesturing noises like "oh," "ah," and "mhm." Such gestures convey that one is understanding and listening to what the other person is saying without saying it—men also use paralanguage but less frequently (Paudel et al., 2018). Physical space - it is another communication pattern that is more likely used by men to use personal space and command than women. Men normally prefer face-to-face communication, with the chance to pat someone's shoulder or shake hands. Women are often comfortable speaking side by side with someone comfortable fully being close to other women (Paudel et al., 2018).

Language can distort thinking because it acts as a filter of attention, memory, and perception. Therefore, it is essential to embrace different methods of communication for effective conversation. Some methods of communication, including but not limited to: Nonverbal communication, which entails eye contact, touch, hand movements, posture, and facial expression, they communicate more than the actual words. Listening is another essential method of communication because one cannot engage effectively with another person when not listening. Verbal communication involves speaking with others either over the telephone or face-to-face (Paudel et al., 2018).

Reflecting on the time I was conversing with a friend concerning a business idea, I realized that even though the friend agreed with my idea verbally, but the relational gender norms like looking sideways revealed by the friend indicated something different. Such conversation also illustrates the differences in communication styles between men and women in that for men; communication is an approach to seek wins, offer advice, negotiate for power, and avoid failure, among other things. For women, communication is an approach to finding equality, seeking understanding, getting closer, and building a relationship (Paudel et al., 2018)

Reference

Paudel, U. R., Devkota, N., Ghale, B. A., & Adhikari, K. (2018). Communication and gender in bachelor's degree students' adjustment process: A study in Kathmandu, Nepal. Journal of Education, Society and Behavioural Science, 1-9. https://www.journaljesbs.com/index.php/JESBS/article/view/15927