Biological Sex and Language and Communication

People believe that men and women communicate differently. Women are thought to be more talkative and affiliative or considerate of others, whereas men are thought to communicate both verbally and nonverbally in a more dominant and assertive manner than women do. But are these differences real? This entry examines the differences and similarities in communication between cisgender men and women and reviews theoretical explanations to account for any differences. The term biological sex will be used to connote physiological differences between cisgender men and women, while gender will be used to describe socialized psychological differences.

Sex Differences in Verbal and Nonverbal Communication

Many studies have been conducted on gender effects in communication between men and women. Although women are perceived to be more talkative than men, ...

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