Why is it men don’t understand what women are saying?
Do men and women speak the same language? Read Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, by John Gray.
Last night we discussed the differences in language between the sexes. Men and women can’t seem to communicate very effectively. One of the problems is the reason for speaking. Women usually speak with others to build the relationship and make bonds through sharing. On the other hand, men speak to solve problems, reach goals, and to compete. This might be why women who come to men with their complaints get even more frustrated when the man offers an ‘easy solution’ to the ‘problem’. It’s also the reason many men don’t understand what they did ‘wrong’ by offering advice when presented with a problem by a woman.
Men and women really do speak different languages. In fact, they fail to communicate even more when they both speak the same language. Many people worry about the communication problems couples face if the two come from different language backgrounds- e.g. an American man and a Taiwanese woman, however, this difference in language is exactly why they can communicate more effectively in some cases. An American couple faces greater challenges exactly because of their familiarity with the language and the gender roles played.
In class we shared stories of language problems and communication problems between men and women. One issue that came up was the problem of how to show someone you are interested. One study looked at women and their body language when interacting with men and then gave questionnaires about the women’s feelings toward the men they talked with. In many cases, women displayed body language communicating the exact opposite feeling they had. In other words, they showed ‘interested’ body language to men they later said they were not attracted to and ‘not interested’ body language to the ones they were attracted to. Why is this?
Men are also guilty of being ‘shy’. Many men are afraid of being rejected and therefore won’t ‘make the move’ and tell a women he’s interested. This is especially true if the woman is very beautiful!! And though things are changing, women in Taiwan who are too forward are still considered ‘playgirls’. However, in this person’s opinion, the responsibility of expressing interest should be shared!
Do men and women speak the same language? Read Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, by John Gray.
Last night we discussed the differences in language between the sexes. Men and women can’t seem to communicate very effectively. One of the problems is the reason for speaking. Women usually speak with others to build the relationship and make bonds through sharing. On the other hand, men speak to solve problems, reach goals, and to compete. This might be why women who come to men with their complaints get even more frustrated when the man offers an ‘easy solution’ to the ‘problem’. It’s also the reason many men don’t understand what they did ‘wrong’ by offering advice when presented with a problem by a woman.
Men and women really do speak different languages. In fact, they fail to communicate even more when they both speak the same language. Many people worry about the communication problems couples face if the two come from different language backgrounds- e.g. an American man and a Taiwanese woman, however, this difference in language is exactly why they can communicate more effectively in some cases. An American couple faces greater challenges exactly because of their familiarity with the language and the gender roles played.
In class we shared stories of language problems and communication problems between men and women. One issue that came up was the problem of how to show someone you are interested. One study looked at women and their body language when interacting with men and then gave questionnaires about the women’s feelings toward the men they talked with. In many cases, women displayed body language communicating the exact opposite feeling they had. In other words, they showed ‘interested’ body language to men they later said they were not attracted to and ‘not interested’ body language to the ones they were attracted to. Why is this?
Men are also guilty of being ‘shy’. Many men are afraid of being rejected and therefore won’t ‘make the move’ and tell a women he’s interested. This is especially true if the woman is very beautiful!! And though things are changing, women in Taiwan who are too forward are still considered ‘playgirls’. However, in this person’s opinion, the responsibility of expressing interest should be shared!
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