Do Men and Women Really Communicate Differently?
Comprehending the opposite sex can be exasperating. But the gender gaps are not as wide as you think.
“The great question that has never been answered, and which I have not yet been able to answer despite my 30 years of research into the feminine soul, is what does a woman want?” So mused the granddaddy of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, nearly 100 years ago.
It seems little has changed since, as a glut of books, movies, songs, and other popular media continue to expound on the so-called “communication gap” between men and women.
In his blockbuster “Mars and Venus” empire, beginning with his 1993 book Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus, pop psychologist John Gray argued that the sexes have different styles of communicating — so different that we’re always misunderstanding each other.
“Not only do men and women communicate differently, but they think, feel, perceive, react, respond, love, need, and appreciate differently,” Gray wrote. “They almost seem to be from different planets, speaking different languages.”
While all communication between humans can be challenging, Gray’s take isn’t entirely accurate. Let’s delve into the science to separate the facts from fiction.
