Theorists for Language and Gender - Compliments

Question 1

Who did a study in 1988?

Answer 1

Holmes

Question 2

What did Holmes’ study look at?

Answer 2

How often men and women complimented other people

Question 3

What did Holmes’ study find?

Answer 3

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

Question 4

What were the statistics like in Holmes’ study?

Answer 4

women -> women 51%
man -> man 9%
man -> woman 23%
woman -> man 16%

Question 5

Who did a study in 1998?

Answer 5

Herbert

Question 6

What did Herbert’s study look at?

Answer 6

The different ways in which men and women compliment people

Question 7

What was Herbert’s focus on?

Answer 7

A personal focus

Question 8

What were the different types of compliments that Herbert devised?

Answer 8

1st person focus
2nd person focus
3rd person focus

Question 9

Example of a 1st person focused compliment

Answer 9

I like your….

keeping their opinion voice by use of 1st person pronoun

Question 10

Example of 2nd person focused compliment

Answer 10

Your… looks good

keeping the focus on the person they’re addressing by use of 2nd person pronoun - in this case possessive

Question 11

Example of 3rd person focused compliment

Answer 11

Nice….

also known as impersonal as no pronoun is used

Question 12

Which of the different types of compliments did Herbert find that women preferred?

Answer 12

1st person focus and 2nd person focus

Question 13

Which of the different types of compliments did Herbert find that men preferred?

Answer 13

3rd person focus

- 60% of their compliments took this form

Question 14

What else did Herbert find?

Answer 14

Men complimented skill

Women complimented appearance