What are the Language Differences for Men
and Women?

FULL ANALYSIS

    Women typically speak and hear a language of connection and intimacy, stressing confirmations and support within their specific online communities.  Their speech is inclusive, less direct, and avoid arguments and confrontation whenever possible.  Men, on the other hand, speak and hear a language of status and independence, focusing on social order and the exhibition of knowledge and skill. (Martin 1998)

    In instances of communities created via discussion groups, groups with more male respondents display a language that is more fact oriented, impersonal, and illustrate a stronger call to action.  Groups with more females display a language that is prone for greater self-disclosure, tension reduction, and prevention.  Women place more value on the concept of netiquette, a code of online mannerisms based on seven principles of conduct that online citizens should abide by.

    These principles are intended to protect Internet users and online communities from incorrect or novice use of technology, bandwidth overuse, violation of network-wide conventions, violation of newsgroup-specific conventions, ethical violations, inappropriate language, and factual errors.  (Martin 1998)  In other words, if females are navigating through cyberspace with netiquette guiding their every move, women are indeed more concerned with being polite, correct, and appropriate (Eakins 1978).

    Some attribute the differences to the idea that men are caught up in a power struggle between women, always having to “win” and “be better.”  According to Eakins, “power is the strongest organizing concept by which to explain some sex differences in conversation.” (Eakins 1978)  Males are defined as being primarily superior communicators and women are primarily subordinate communicators.

SUPERIOR                         SUBORDINATE                                                           Orders/commands                 Complies
Asks/requests                        Acquiesces
Interrogates                           Replies
Declares                                Agrees
Interrupts                               Allows interruption; stops talking (Eakins 1978)

    Women still view computer technology as an arena that they cannot succeed in because of the common image of it as an area of expertise for male computer hackers.  Learning environments have a strong impact on the response of the learners.  Thus, if women are intimated by this male dominated field to the point where they initially believe that they are going to fail and make mistakes, they will never be able to succeed with confidence and proper self-assurance.  One women commented that “computers aren’t something I grew up using every waking minute like the guys in my classes, so I find it difficult to keep up.  No matter how long or hard I study, I always feel like I’m behind, because things like hacking come so naturally to them.” (Martin 1998)

From the Flinstones to the Jetsons:
How Technology is Sprocketing the American Family into the New Millennium
 

Back to PsyberSite

This project was produced for Psy 380, Social Psychology of Cyberspace, Spring 1999,  at Miami University.  All graphics in these pages are used with permission or under fair use guidelines, are in the public domain,  or were created by the authors.  Last revised: .   This document has been accessed   times since 1 May 1999.  Comments & Questions to R. Sherman