Theorists for Language and Gender - Compliments Flashcards
Who did a study in 1988?
Holmes
What did Holmes’ study look at?
How often men and women complimented other people
What did Holmes’ study find?
Women were complimented more (both by men and women)
In single sex women complimented each other more than men
In mixed sex men complimented women more than vice versa
What were the statistics like in Holmes’ study?
women -> women 51%
man -> man 9%
man -> woman 23%
woman -> man 16%
Who did a study in 1998?
Herbert
What did Herbert’s study look at?
The different ways in which men and women compliment people
What was Herbert’s focus on?
A personal focus
What were the different types of compliments that Herbert devised?
1st person focus
2nd person focus
3rd person focus
Example of a 1st person focused compliment
I like your….
keeping their opinion voice by use of 1st person pronoun
Example of 2nd person focused compliment
Your… looks good
keeping the focus on the person they’re addressing by use of 2nd person pronoun - in this case possessive
Example of 3rd person focused compliment
Nice….
also known as impersonal as no pronoun is used
Which of the different types of compliments did Herbert find that women preferred?
1st person focus and 2nd person focus
Which of the different types of compliments did Herbert find that men preferred?
3rd person focus
- 60% of their compliments took this form
What else did Herbert find?
Men complimented skill
Women complimented appearance
