Table of Contents
This is an introductory statement.
Nonverbal Differences in Gender Communication
Men and women both use nonverbal communication to communicate.
In conclusion
Inception
This is the beginning of something great.
After reviewing the Listening Profile Assessment, I found that my scores were pretty close to where I thought they would be for over half the questions. Since my assessment scores were close to what I had expected, I decided to retake it to see if anything had changed. The second time around, after completing the test, I found that my listening skills are excellent, and I have confidence in myself. However, there is still room for improvement. All six of the components I rated the same when I did the first listening assessment.
My assessment showed that the three most important components were remembering and evaluating. In both the initial and second assessment, I answered every question honestly. So, I am not sure why I scored low in the component “responding”. The assessment said that although I’ve always had a knack for maintaining good conversation, I still need to work more on this. Listening skills are essential to a successful communication process. When asked before this class if listening was the same as hearing, I either answered yes or said I didn’t know. Listening is not the same as hearing. Without listening, communication messages are misinterpreted.
During the course, I’ve learned so much on listening, including how to deal with distractions. I have learned how to listen better by examining the external and internal distractions.
This class has helped me understand that I am responsible as an audience to listen to nonverbal communications as well as verbal ones. The knowledge that I could gain from this class would make me take it again if the opportunity arose.
Nonverbal Differences in Gender CommunicationNonverbal communication occurs every day in the life of everyone who communicates with another individual. Communication is influenced by nonverbal behavior in every setting. While nonverbal communication is different between all the personalities we meet, men and women have similar nonverbal communication styles.
Boys and girls are often taught different communication styles that they later accept as normal. For nonverbal abilities, boys and girls are taught different communication behaviors.
Communication verbal or nonverbal can have the same impact, if you don’t mind (depending upon the situation), as verbal communication. The meaning of a person’s words is enhanced when they use nonverbal communications, no matter the situation or setting. The different cultures we encounter every day can affect how nonverbal communication is viewed.
Men and women across cultures behave in the same way, regardless of their cultural background. Although the culture we were raised in can affect the way that we behave, men and women tend to behave alike, regardless.
Women and men use different nonverbal body movements.
In the process of communication, our body gestures and movements, positive or not, give cues for the other individual. There are three different types of gestures when we look at the body. These include adaptors, illustrators, and emblems. We may adaptors during conversations when we feel nervous or anxious. The second is an illustrative gesticulation, which is also the most frequent.
Use your body to illustrate the message you are trying to communicate. Using our hands as a way to convey distance or size is one example. The final and third type of gesture involves using symbols. Emblem gestures have universal meanings across cultures. A person who gets into an argument and balls their fist is making a cynical, unforgiving gesture. This gesture would be recognized by all Americans.
Both men and women use the symbol gesture and the illustrative one when it comes to nonverbal communication. While listening to someone, head nodding can also be used as a body language that indicates understanding. The head nodding is more common in men. While women also nod, they do so with their facial expressions.
Body position
Standing or sitting is the most common posture we adopt when communicating. Our culture has a tendency to develop a certain posture, which can be interpreted as a positive and negative cue. In American society, women often adopt a closed body posture whereas men tend to adopt an open, more dominant posture. Open postures by men can be interpreted as a sign of confidence, friendliness, and openness. Closed postures by women or men can be misinterpreted as a sign of unfriendliness or a lack of communication.
Making eye contact
When we speak or listen to someone, good eye contact makes them feel as though we are sincere and paying attention. By maintaining eye contact with others, we can monitor their nonverbal signals and show our engagement. We can read the emotions of others by looking into their eyes. These include happiness, fear and sadness.
The degree to which women maintain eye contacts is personal, but research shows that they do so less than men. Others will keep their eyes open to establish a healthy relationship. Alternatively, some men stare to demonstrate dominance, superiority and intimidation.
Facial expressions
Faces are most expressive because they have the eyes that “show the soul”. They also hold the beautiful smiles. Our smiles, eyes, and noses can all be used to “tell the truth” to our friends, coworkers, and audiences. Many people have been known to move their eyebrows or nostrils when they are feeling stressed or frustrated. Face expressions are a great way to let someone know how your day has been going. This, along with making you look weak, causes men to hide facial expressions.
Private Territory
In my research on nonverbal gender communication, I was surprised to discover the importance of personal space in communication. Though it was surprising to learn about the importance of personal space in nonverbal communications, it is logical. According to Edward T. Hall, an anthropologist, there is a four-level social distance that can be used in different situations. The distances between people that they feel comfortable with are intimate, personal, public, and social. They vary according to the culture of each person. Men tend to be more protective of their personal space than women. “Touch” is a good way to connect personal space and touch, as we must enter someone’s private space to reach them.
ConclusionMen are different from women when it comes to nonverbal communication. Women are more likely to get closer to a person they are talking to to establish a relationship. However, men prefer their own personal space. Nonverbal communication is interpreted differently depending on the culture.
Women often use physical contact in a friendly, genuine way. This can be seen by other women of the same gender. Men misinterpret and view physical touch by women as a sign of interest. We can say with certainty that culture is a key factor in how we perceive nonverbal communications. It is only by becoming educated on this subject that we can begin to recognize the nonverbal signs used by both men and woman.
