Gender Theories and Concepts Flashcards
Name the 4 main areas of gender theory
Diversity
Difference
Deficit
Dominance
Who first came up with the deficit theory?
What was it?
Otto Jesperson (male 1920s)
- Said women walk too much, have a limited vocabulary, don’t swear and are indirect and passive
What context can be used to criticise this model?
There was less education for women in the 1920’s
He’s a man, women will talk differently to a man than to a woman
Who made the next deficit theory?
What was it?
Lakoff (female 1970’s)
- Said women are indirect, use more hedging, tag questions, softening, more polite forms, and aren’t good at humour
What context can be used to criticise this model?
In the 1970’s women didn’t have much societal power and authority
Who challenged Lakoff’s model?
With what study?
O’Barr and Atkins
Courtroom study
What was the courtroom study?
Women called in as witnessed used male coded language, men on trial used female coded language
Language is about positions of power not gender
What is the most important question involving dominance theories?
What does dominance actually include?
Who created the main dominance theory?
What was it?
Zimmerman and West
Recorded same sex and mixed sex couples talking
Broadly, men interrupted and talked more, women had 62% more silence
Men had greater control
All this went unnoticed by most participants
How can this study be criticised?
It doesn’t account for types of interruptions, interruptions to show support etc
Do interruptions always show dominance?
Who created the first difference model?
What was it?
Deborah Tannen
Child focused
From a young age there are psychological differences between girls and boys
What did Tannen theorise were the differences between boys and girls?
Boys’ linguistic ritual is “one-upmanship” competition
Girls’ ritual is “mine does too” cooperation
Women prioritise rapport, sympathy, listening, privacy
Men prioritise problem solving, public conversation to “show off”
Where did the popularity of this model come from?
The book “Men are from Mars women are from Venus”
What is the gender-bind?
Women in a professional setting are either seen as “bossy and “rude” or “weak” depending on their actions and words
Who created the next difference model?
What was it?
Deborah Jones (1990’s)
Gossip theory
Gossip used to judge others and enforce social intimacy
Bitching used to express anger and be understood
Often private speech for other women
Who else created a difference theory?
What was it?
Koenraad Kuiper (1991)
Studied male speech in a rugby team
Aggression and swearing to build rapport
What does this theory not take into account?
Female sports
Who carried out a meta-analysis?
What was it?
Hyde
Anonymous computer interaction, people couldn’t tell the difference
Gender is performative, a social construct
