Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Medindia
Advertisement

Gift of the Gab, No More a Womens Forte?

by VR Sreeraman on November 10, 2007 at 3:52 PM
Gift of the Gab, No More a Womens Forte?

A new study has challenged the existing notion that women are biologically built to be chatterboxes, by finding that gender differences in language use appear and disappear, depending on the interaction context.

Researchers Campbell Leaper and Melanie Ayres conducted meta-analyses collecting all of the available evidence from decades of scientific study and systematically combining the findings into an overall picture of the differences between men and women regarding talkativeness.

Advertisement

The results showed a small but statistically consistent tendency for men to be more talkative than women overall, especially in certain contexts, such as when they were conversing with their wives or with strangers.

Women, on the other hand, talked more to their children and to their college classmates. The type of speech was also explored in the analyses, which looked at verbal behaviour in a wide variety of contexts. The researchers discovered that, with strangers, women were generally more talkative when it came to using speech to affirm her connection to the listener, while men's speech focused more on an attempt to influence the listener.
Advertisement

With close friends and family, however, there was very little difference between genders in the amount of speech. "These findings compellingly debunk simplistic stereotypes about gender differences in language use. The notion that the female brain is built to systematically out-talk men is hard to square with the finding that gender differences appear and disappear, depending on the interaction context," Leaper and Ayres said.

"The results of the meta-analyses bolster arguments for social rather than strong biological influences of gender differences in language use," they added.

The research is published by SAGE in the November issue of Personality and Social Psychology Review.

Source: ANI
LIN/C
Font : A-A+

Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Latest Research News

Can Sleep Brain Waves Defend Against Epileptic Activity?
Memory deficits in individuals with epilepsy, especially cognitive difficulties, might partially stem from the transient impairments caused by these slow waves.
High Altitude Training's Impact on Surgical Readiness
High altitude training exhibits potential benefits for pre-surgery patients, enhancing readiness, stated a new study.
AI Shows Promise in Identifying ADHD
The AI method shows promise in identifying imaging biomarkers for diagnosing ADHD.
Life Expectancy Gap for Autistic Individuals Revealed
Diagnosed autistic individuals showed increased premature mortality in the UK, highlighting urgent needs to address associated inequalities.
Exploring How Hearing Impairment Shapes Dementia Risk
Study reveals a correlation between hearing impairment and distinct brain region variances, contributing to dementia.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
×

Gift of the Gab, No More a Womens Forte? Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests