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