Theorists for Language and Gender - Commands and Directives

Question 1

Who did a study in 1990?

Answer 1

West

Question 2

What did West’s study look at?

Answer 2

Doctors and how they interacted with their patients. In particular looking at the commands that they used to address their patients

Question 3

What did West’s study find?

Answer 3

The men and women Doctors used directives DIFFERENTLY

Question 4

How did the women use directives in West’s study?

Answer 4

They used more mitigated (softening) directives
e.g. “shall we have a look at that”
(use of second person plural)

Question 5

How did the men use directives in West’s study?

Answer 5

They used more aggravated directives such as imperatives.
e.g. “sit down”
(direct orders)

Question 6

Who’s directives were more effective on their patients?

Answer 6

The women’s
Even though they were less assertive than the men’s were, the patients of the female doctors followed their orders more. This challenges the deficit model

Question 7

Who did a study in the 1980s?

Answer 7

Goodwin

Question 8

What did Goodwin’s study look at?

Answer 8

Looking at how young children used directives and commands in their play

Question 9

What did Goodwin’s study find?

Answer 9

Boys used more explicit and aggravated directives “gimme”

Girls used more mitigated directives