Difference theory - Deborah Tannen

Question 1

Outline

Answer 1

she has summarised in her book ‘You Just Don’t Understand’ a series of six contrasts

Question 2

Status vs support

Answer 2

men are competitive whilst women seek to gain confirmation

Question 3

Independence vs intimacy

Answer 3

men concerned with status, whilst women concerned with closeness and support

Question 4

Advice vs understanding

Answer 4

men think a complaint is a challenge to find a solution, whilst women want sympathy

Question 5

Information vs feelings

Answer 5

Men report talk whilst women rapport talk

Question 6

Orders vs proposals

Answer 6

men use direct imperatives whilst women are more indirect

Question 7

Conflict vs compromise

Answer 7

men resist conflict vocally whilst women may appear to accede but complain

Question 8

Interruptions and overlapping

Answer 8

cooperative overlaps can be supportive or a competitive overlap can be an attempt to take control of the conversation

Question 9

High involvement speakers

Answer 9

concerned to show enthusiastic support even is this means simultaneous speech, and are ready to be overlapped because they will yield to an intrusion

Question 10

High considerateness speakers

Answer 10

concerned to be considerate of others, they choose not to impose of the conversation as a whole or of specific comments of another speaker