Theories of Gender Communication
Harding, S. (1991). Whose science? Whose knowledge? Thinking from women’s lives. Ithaca,
NY: Cornell University Press.
Kramarae, C. (1981). Women and men speaking. Rowley, MA: Newbury House.
Tannen, D. (1990). You just don’t understand. New York: Ballantine.
Genderlect Theory – Deborah Tannen
Tannen believes that the best way to describe communication between the genders is in a
cross-cultural format. Women use rapport talk to establish meaningful connection with
others, while men use report talk to gain status in relation to others. Because women and
men use language differently, Tannen suggests they are speaking different dialects, or
genderlects. The goal of genderlect theory is to acknowledge and appreciate the language of
the opposite sex and achieve mutual respect and understanding. (Semiotic and socio-cultural
traditions) Genderlect theory is evaluated on the next page.
Tenet
Clarification
Why We Communicate: Women seek
connection, men seek status.
Women engage in communication to build
and maintain relationships with others. By
contrast, men are more likely to engage in
talk only when it makes them look good,
strong, competitive, or independent.
Style of Communicating: Women use rapport
talk, men use report talk.
Women express emotions, share personal
feelings, relate stories, and listen
empathically (rapport talk). Men engage in
competitive joking and assertive speech that
wins control of the conversation (report talk).
Language: We speak the same language, but
each gender has its own dialect.
Each gender has its own set of vocabulary
and preferred topics, and they use spoken
language differently: men talk to get things
done (instrumental approach); women talk to
interact with others (relational approach).
Goal of Genderlect Theory: Mutual respect
and understanding.
In contrast to feminist viewpoints that
criticize men for inferior communication that
represses women, Genderlect Theory simply
identifies the differences between us and
encourages us to acknowledge and accept
the communicative culture of the other.
To what extent does Genderlect Theory meet the criteria for a good interpretive theory?

Does it lead to a deeper understanding of people? Because this theory reveals how
men and women subconsciously communicate in different ways, it shows how easy it
is for all of us to misjudge the words and actions of others.

Is it values-based or bring values into the open? This theory promotes mutual respect
and understanding by showing that communicators should appreciate and respect the
style of communication of both genders.

Does it have aesthetic appeal? Genderlect theory has universal appeal because we can
all identify with the frustrations and misunderstandings of communicating across
genders.

Has it generated a community of agreement? This theory has been widely accepted by
the popular press, but a relatively small number of Communication scholars take this
theory seriously enough to use it as a grounding theory for further research.

Does it contribute to communication competence? We can all improve in this area.
Competent communicators who understand and appreciate both sides of gender
communication can become more effective (minimizing misunderstanding) and more
appropriate (socially acceptable) as we adapt to the contrasting styles of the other
gender.
Standpoint Theory – Sandra Harding and Julia Wood
Feminist standpoint theorists suggest that women are under-advantaged, and thus men are
over-advantaged. Otherness is engendered in women by the way men respond to them.
Different locations within the social hierarchy affect what is seen. The standpoints of
marginalized people provide less false views of the world than do the privileged perspectives
of the powerful. Strong objectivity requires that scientific research start from the lives of
women, the poor, gays and lesbians, and racial minorities. (Critical tradition; see Ch. 35)
A culture is not experienced identically by all members. “Each person can achieve only a
partial view of reality from the perspective of his or her own position in the social hierarchy”
(Harding). “The social groups within which we are located powerfully shape what we
experience and know as well as how we understand and communicate with ourselves, others,
and the world” (Wood).
Muted Group Theory – Cheris Kramarae
Mutedness is due to the lack of power; people with little clout have trouble giving voice to
their perceptions. As a result, they are overlooked, muffled, and rendered invisible.
“Women are not as free or as able as men are to say what they wish, when and where they
wish, because the words and the norms for their use have been formulated by the dominant
group, men” (Kramarae). Man-made language aids in defining, depreciating, and excluding
women. As women cease to be muted, men will no longer maintain their position of
dominance in society. (Critical tradition; see Ch. 36)