Gender Theories

Dominance theory

the theory that in mixed sex conversations men are more likely to interrupt women then men are to interrupt women. recorded by Don Zimmerman and Candace West. The participants in the study were all white and middle class.

Status and support

Men are grown into a world where a conversation is a competition and therefore try to gain the upper hand in a conversation and try to dominate them. Women however women tend to use conversation for conformation and support of their ideas according to Deborah Tannen.

Report talk and rapport talk

According to Deborah Tannen the distinction of information and feelings is also described as report talk (men) and rapport talk (women)

Men:

• Get more air time
• Speak in public
• Negotiate status/avoid failure
• Speak one at a time
• Speak asymmetrically  

Women:

• Talk too much
• Speak in private contexts
• Build relations
• Overlap
• Speak symmetrically