Scientific evidence on gender similarities in psychology and communication

¶ … men and women more similar than different?

ARE WOMEN and MEN MORE SIMILAR THAN DIFFERENT

Traditionally and historically women and men have be held to be very different. This work intends to examine the scientific evidence of the recent past in order to disseminate whether men and women are in actuality as different as one would be led to believe by popular assumption. It has been long held that men were stronger than women and that they were more aggressive and less emotional. There has also been the long-held assumption that men are better leaders than are women.

II. PSYCHOLOGICAL SIMILARITIES

The work of Serge Guimond (2007) entitled: 'Psychological Similarities and Differences between Women and Men across Cultures" states that the majority of research on psychological similarities and differences between men and women has been pursued in the United States and Western Europe. Reported by Guimond is a study with findings that "much less-pronounced gender differences are observed, in Asian and African countries." According to Guimond recent research has shown that "social comparison and self-categorization theories suggest a promising approach to explain why more egalitarian societies can paradoxically create greater psychological differences between men and women." (Guimond, 2007)

III. COMMUNICATION STYLES of MEN and WOMEN

The work of Erina L. MacGeorge entitled: "The Myth of Gender Cultures: Similarities Outweigh Differences in Men and Women's a Provision of and Reponses to Supportive Communication," published in the Journal of Sex Roles in February 2004 relates that the 'different cultures thesis' has been popular for more than twenty years. MacGeorge states: "In brief, the different cultures thesis maintains that gender-specific socialization of boys and girls leads to different masculine and feminine speech communities. These communities represent different cultures -- people who have different ways of speaking, acting, and interpreting, as well as different values, priorities, and agendas. According to the different cultures thesis, masculine and feminine modes of thinking, speaking, and interpreting represent stylistic differences, not functional differences; each community is held to develop its own characteristic styles of addressing communication goals. Different styles are assumed to be equally valid and functionally equivalent; that is, within their respective communities, different styles are assumed to be equally effective at achieving intended outcomes." (2007) MacGeorge reports having conducted a study to test the communicative differences between genders and states findings that the result of the study "...provide very little support for the hypotheses' stated in the gender communicative theory. (2007)

IV. EXPERIENTIAL SIMILARITIES in GRIEF

The work of Suitor and Pillemer (2000) entitled: "When Experience Counts Most: Effects of Experiential Similarity on Men's and Women's Receipt of Support During Bereavement" reports a study which investigated "the differential effects of experiential similarity on men's and women's support" through a longitudinal study of 59 individuals who had recently lost a family member for whom they were the primary caretaker. Findings of the study state that the multivariate analysis showed that "experiential similarity was important in explaining both men's and women's patterns of emotional support during bereavement." (Suitor and Pillemer, 2000)

SUMMARY & CONCLUSION

It is clear from the studies reviewed in this work that men and women have more similarities than differences and that many of the differences that have been previously assumed to exist between men and women are based on mythical instead of logical thinking and scientific evidence. These similarities are shown as evidenced by the literature reviewed in this study to hold true across cultures and to be findings stated in studies conducted throughout the world.