Gender plays an important role when it comes to communication and its effectiveness. Both men and women have different relations in their communications. Genç (2017) establishes that different genders will transfer information or interpret received information in various ways that affect the effectiveness of their communications. Typically, gender affects how people interact, their language, and the subjects they discuss. Gender also influences how people perceive messages, the types of messages they send, and how they understand them. In addition, gender roles and norms can significantly affect how people communicate with each other and how their communication is interpreted and responded to. This essay supports the notion and will discuss how gender can affect communication and its effectiveness, assessing whether it is beneficial or detrimental.
One way gender plays a role in communication is through language. Men and women use different languages in conveying information. For example, women tend to use more tentative language, such as hedging and qualifiers, which can be interpreted as a sign of insecurity (Myrick, 2019). Women also use more questions and tag questions. They are more likely to use polite language and apologize more than men. Men, on the other hand, tend to use more natural language and to be more assertive. They are less likely to use polite language and apologize. Secondly, gender influences the topics that are discussed in communication. Men are likelier to share sporting activities, while women prefer to talk about relationships and feelings.
Thirdly, gender can also affect the way people perceive messages. For example, men are more likely to interpret a message as aggressive or hostile, while women are more likely to interpret the same message as passive or submissive. Also, gender can affect the way people respond to messages. Different genders are more likely to offer different reactions in communication. Men would respond with immense anger or aggression, while ladies would have sympathy or understanding. There is also a long history of gender roles and norms affecting how people communicate with one another. Men and women have traditionally been socialized to behave in specific ways and to hold specific values, beliefs, and attitudes. Gender expectations influence communication effectiveness (Barrett & Davidson, 2016). For instance, traditionally, men are expected to be the breadwinners and lead conversations and decision-making. At the same time, ladies are traditionally anticipated to be nurturing and anchoring the conversations by the men.
Men are often expected to be more direct and assertive in their communication, while women are expected to be more passive and indirect. Consequently, women may need to be heard or valued in communication, as their indirect approach may need to be taken more seriously (Myrick, 2019). On the other hand, men’s direct and assertive communication styles can be seen as aggressive or intimidating and can be off-putting for some people. Gender roles and norms can also shape the conversation and the types of messages that are communicated. Men and women often communicate differently about the same conversations due to their different socialization and upbringing (Barrett & Davidson, 2016). Ladies are often anticipated to be more emotional in their communication, while men are expected to be more factual and logical. Consequently, there can be a need for more understanding between the two genders, as they may need to understand each other’s communication styles or expectations.
However, as far as gender can positively affect the way men and women communicate, on the other hand, it can have adverse effects in some situations. First, referring to communication styles used by both genders, men are used to being direct-focused, whereas ladies seem to be indirect-focused. Variations in communication styles can lead to misunderstandings and miscommunication (Carli, 2016). Furthermore, men are more likely to understand and interpret a message as aggressive or confrontational, while women are more likely to interpret it as sensitive or understanding. Gender can also affect the way people interpret nonverbal communication. Men are more likely to interpret a smile as a sign of agreement or approval, while women are more likely to interpret it as politeness or friendliness.
Additionally, gender also affects the effectiveness of communication in the sense that men and women can have different levels of communication effectiveness based on their gender-based communication styles. For example, men are more likely to be effective communicators in a competitive environment, while women are more likely to be effective communicators in a cooperative environment (Carli, 2016). Furthermore, men and women can have different levels of influence in other communications. For example, men may be influential in a public setting, while women are more likely to be influential in a private setting.
In conclusion, gender plays an important role in communication and its effectiveness. The role of gender is seen in the language used, interpretation and response given by either the male or female. In addition, gender roles, expectations and norms largely contribute to communication effectiveness. Gender affects how individuals, whether male or female, communicate, the topics discussed, how individuals perceive and interpret messages and even the outcomes of the conversation. Different genders use different communication styles that lead to different outcomes. Awareness of gender differences and considering them can help ensure communication is more effective and successful.
References
Barrett, M., & Davidson, M. J. (2016). Gender and communication at work: An introduction. In Gender and communication at work (pp. 1–16). Routledge.
Carli, L. L. (2016). Gender issues in workplace groups: Effects of gender and communication style on social influence. In Gender and communication at work (pp. 69–83). Routledge.
Genç, R. (2017). The importance of communication in sustainability & sustainable strategies. Procedia Manufacturing, pp. 8, 511–516.
Myrick, C. M. (2019). Language and gender ideologies in higher education: An examination of faculty discourses. North Carolina State University.
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