As Donna Haraway states, all the modern feminist meanings of gender, despite differences, have roots in Simone de Beauvoir’s claim that ‘one is not born a woman’ (de Beauvoir, 1949; 1952, p.249) and in post-Second World War social conditions. Those conditions have enabled constructions of women as a collective historical subject-in-process. The concept of Gender was developed to question and contest the naturalization of sexual difference in multiple areas of struggle. “Feminist theory and practice around gender seek to explain and change historical systems of sexual difference, whereby ‘men’ and ‘women’ are socially constructed and positioned in relations of hierarchy and antagonism.” (Haraway 1991). The refusal to become or to remain a ‘gendered’ ‘woman’ or ‘man’ is a political challenge also against the imaginary narrative of sex and race. Gender refers primarily but not exclusively to women. It defines the term ‘women’ as a very broad and internally differentiated category that includes differences as the highly relevant variables of class, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and age. Of interest are the visible and invisible power mechanisms that influence women’s access to responsibility in social, economic, political, religious, intellectual and cultural life. “Male” and “female” are culturally produced, socially constructed categories and language is often seen as part of what constructs, maintains and reflects these categories. But on the other hand, we need categories to be able to analyse, study and describe in order to find solutions for change. Gender is transdisciplinary and a study of language, that is an essential basis for active participation in society is important. Today’s gender topics are not only of importance for ‘women’. In a continuously changing society they are also of concern for ‘men’ and require their active participation in a restructuring of society. A discussion and (re)negotiation of these issues needs participants who can and will take part equally. Over time, different approaches were developed to interpret differences in communication style between ‘men’ and ‘women’. In the first part of this work I will try to find out: What are the causes for gender-related variation? In the second part I will look at two case studies, “Complaint stories” by Susanne Günthner and “TV discussions” by Helga Kotthoff, in order to answer the intertwined question: What are the consequences of gender-related variation?
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Causes of ‘gendered’ communication
2.1 Gender, Language and Communicative Competence
2.2 Approaches to explain gender-related variation
2.2.1 The Deficit Approach and the Dominance Approach
2.2.2 The Difference Approach and Cultural Psychology
2.2.3 The Constructivist Approach
3 Consequences of ‘gendered’ communication
3.1 “Complaint Stories” – A ‘female’ communicative genre
3.2 Asymmetrical ‘gendered’ communication in TV discussions
4 Conclusion
5 Literature
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the sociocultural and psychological roots of gender-related variations in linguistic behavior, analyzing how communication styles reflect, maintain, and construct gender roles. By bridging sociolinguistic theory with cross-cultural psychology, it investigates how asymmetrical communication patterns emerge and persist within societal hierarchies.
- Theoretical approaches to gender and communication (Deficit, Dominance, Difference, and Constructivist).
- The impact of cultural values like individualism and collectivism on gendered communication.
- Case study analysis of "Complaint Stories" as a gender-specific communicative genre.
- The role of hegemonic masculinity in creating asymmetrical power dynamics in media discourse.
- The intersection of social identity, communicative competence, and institutional power structures.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 “Complaint Stories” – A female communicative genre
Studies of female communicative behaviour show, that women in Europe and the USA prefer other narrative genres and styles than men. Women storytellers often present themselves as powerless. “[T]hings happen to them, and when they act in concert with others, they overcome the challenges they tell stories about” (Johnstone 1993, from Günthner 1997). Men tend to create worlds of contest in which “power comes from the individual action in opposition to others” (Johnstone 1993, from Günthner 1997). Thus, women provide more details about people and their speech, men about places, times and objects.
Susanne Günthners study “Complaint Stories: Constructing emotional reciprocity among women” focuses on everyday narratives in female context. It shows the complexity of a very special pattern of communication that is used commonly by ‘women’.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: Provides an overview of the concept of gender as a social construct and defines the scope of investigating the causes and consequences of gendered language.
2 Causes of ‘gendered’ communication: Explores theoretical frameworks explaining communication differences, including language socialization, power dynamics, cultural psychology, and constructivist approaches.
3 Consequences of ‘gendered’ communication: Analyzes practical manifestations of gendered language through the lens of female-dominated "complaint stories" and the expert-status asymmetry in TV debates.
4 Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, arguing that gendered communication is not fixed but situational, and advocates for a critical reflection of individual communication styles to dismantle hierarchical structures.
5 Literature: Lists the academic sources and references utilized throughout the research paper.
Keywords
Gender, Communicative Competence, Social Constructivism, Deficit Approach, Dominance Approach, Difference Approach, Cultural Psychology, Complaint Stories, Hegemonic Masculinity, Asymmetry, Power Dynamics, TV Discussions, Linguistic Variation, Identity, Subculture
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this paper?
The paper explores how gender influences linguistic behavior, analyzing both the underlying social and psychological causes of these differences and their consequences in terms of power and social status.
Which theoretical approaches are discussed?
The work covers several key frameworks, specifically the Deficit Approach, the Dominance Approach, the Difference Approach, and the Constructivist Approach, to explain gender-related variations in speech.
What is the primary goal of the author?
The primary goal is to determine the origins of gendered communication patterns and to demonstrate how these patterns contribute to social asymmetries, particularly in institutional or media settings.
What research methodology is employed?
The paper utilizes a literature-based analysis of sociolinguistic studies, complemented by an examination of specific case studies conducted by researchers like Susanne Günthner and Helga Kotthoff.
What is addressed in the main body of the paper?
The main body examines the interplay between gender and social structure, evaluates the impact of cultural values such as individualism versus collectivism, and analyzes specific communicative genres like "complaint stories" and TV debates.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include Gender, Communicative Competence, Social Constructivism, Hegemonic Masculinity, and Asymmetrical Communication.
What are "Complaint Stories" as described in the text?
Complaint stories are a "female" communicative genre where the speaker narrates a negative experience with an absent third party to establish emotional reciprocity and social solidarity among women.
Why do men often dominate TV discussions according to the findings?
The study indicates that men often assume or are attributed an expert status through the use of expository styles and lecturing, which are valued as more "authoritative" in competitive, hegemonic social environments.
- Quote paper
- Beate Hakenjos (Author), 2008, Causes and consequences of ‘gendered’ communication, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/133153
