Gendered Nonverbal Gendered Nonverbal CommunicationCommunication
Chapter 6
Gendered Nonverbal Gendered Nonverbal CommunicationCommunicationNonverbal behaviors 65%+ of the
total meaning of communicationNonverbal = all elements of
communication other than wordsLearned through interaction with
others
Gendered Nonverbal Gendered Nonverbal CommunicationCommunicationNonverbal communication related
to gender and culture:◦Expresses cultural meanings of gender
◦Men and women use to present themselves as gendered people
To Regulate To Regulate InteractionInteraction
Regulate interaction◦Women use to invite others into conversation
◦Men use to hold onto talk stage
To Establish To Establish Relationship LevelRelationship LevelFemales
◦Smile more◦Maintain more eye contact◦Maintain more direct body orientation
To Establish To Establish Relationship LevelRelationship LevelMales
◦Lean forward◦Adopt postures congruent with speaker
LikingLikingLiking
◦Signal we like or dislike others◦Females socialized to be nice More nonverbal signals of friendliness than men
Power or ControlPower or Control
Power or control◦Power = degree we act as equal, dominant, deferential
◦Control = who defines topics, directs conversation, defers
ArtifactsArtifactsPersonal objects that influence
how see self and express identityParents send messages through
toys give to sons and daughters◦Boys given toys that invite competition, active play
◦Girls given toys that encourage nurturing, attention to appearance
ArtifactsArtifactsIn adult life, continue to reflect
cultural views of masculinity and femininity◦Men’s clothes not as colorful, more functional
◦Women’s clothes call attention to body, less functional
Meaning depends on cultural context
ArtifactsArtifactsAdvertisements for food,
homemaking, child rearing feature women
Products associated with work, cars, sports feature men (or women in seductive poses)
Cosmetics industry multimillion dollar business
ArtifactsArtifactsSome use artifacts to challenge
existing perceptions◦Men wear earrings◦Women wear military boots
Proximity and Proximity and Personal SpacePersonal SpaceProxemics refers to use of spaceMen have private spacesFew women with families have
private spaces
TerritorialityTerritorialityPersonal space we don’t want
others to invadeNot equally respectedPeople with power more likely to
enter space of those with less power
Men go into women’s spaces more than women enter men’s
TerritorialityTerritorialityHow respond to invasion?
◦Women more likely to accept invasion and cede territory
◦Men more likely to challenge invasion
Haptics (Touch)Haptics (Touch)Touch from adults communicates
differentlyParents touch daughters more
often and more gentlyBoys learn to associate touching
with control and power
Haptics (Touch)Haptics (Touch)Women initiate touches that
express supportMen use touch to assert power
and express sexual interestWomen may perceive men’s
touch as harassingGay and lesbians may not feel
can touch in public
Kinesics (Facial and Kinesics (Facial and Body Motion)Body Motion)Women’s movements signal they
are approachable, friendly, unassuming
Men’s movements indicate they are reserved, in control
Kinesics (Facial and Kinesics (Facial and Body Motion)Body Motion)Men more likely to use
movements aggressivelyWomen signal interest by
sustaining eye contactMen do not sustain eye contact
during conversations◦Except when challenge others
ParalanguageParalanguageWomen use higher pitch, softer
volume, more inflectionMen use lower pitch, greater
volumeWomen perceived as feminine
assumed to be pretty, immatureMen perceived as masculine
assumed to be intelligent, mature
Physical AppearancePhysical AppearanceMen and women pressured to
meet cultural idealsConcern about appearance not
as much of a problem for malesMen with concerns tend to focus
on musculature◦See how GI Joe has changed: http://gijoelocator.com/
Physical AppearancePhysical AppearanceGirls and women more
dissatisfied with appearance Dislike of bodies affects self-
esteem◦Concern about weight starts early By 5, many girls have negative self-images based on weight
Interpreting Interpreting Nonverbal BehaviorNonverbal BehaviorWomen more skilled at
interpreting nonverbals and identifying emotions
Females more adept at decoding emotions
Men faster at noticing angry faces
Interpreting Interpreting Nonverbal BehaviorNonverbal BehaviorFemales’ right brain
specialization may make more adept at decoding emotions
Cognitive development and social learning females encouraged to be sensitive to others
Interpreting Interpreting Nonverbal BehaviorNonverbal BehaviorWomen’s standpoint as
caregivers◦Women outnumber men in caring professions
Decoding skill results from women's standpoint as subordinate members of society