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Psychology -- Gender-Based Communications Differences Research Paper

Women perceive their gossip as conversing regarding something/someone. To them, gossiping regarding a particular person not close to them only strengthens shared principles and global perspectives. Male humans perceive women's gossip as conversing against somebody/something. Although men take serious topics such as business and politics whilst a topic such as kid-bearing is tagged unimportant, it is basically a replication of social principles that describe what they do. In other words, what men do is perceived important. In stark contrast, what women do is perceived unimportant (Suzanne, 1999). Method

Men and women rowing teams offer a good setting for gossip studies. That is so because performance of a particular boat is not basically the sum of every member of the team. As an alternative, balance and synchronization are paramount "faction-level" skills which should prevail if the team is to succeed. More importantly, rowing teams allow a comprehensible sight of the variable levels of differences which may impact both men and women teams. Usually, rowing teams may comprise up to 50 people. Arguably, therefore, they need enhanced synchronization as compared to any other group sport.

Experimental Design

This study is based on recording of conversations of two rowing teams- men and women rowing teams- based at the Long Beach Marine Stadium. It will last for 2 months. After the selection of the rowing teams for the study, permission shall be requested from three stakeholders. They include: the head coaches and captains of the teams, and the stadium management board. Importantly, these approvals will be sought prior to commencing the study as a more conventional ethnographer would seek out initial endorsement from senior members of a particular village or town. Then, the rowers-men and women- will be requested...

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To record the gossip during trainings, electronically-activates recorders shall be used. An electronically-activates recorder digitally and inconspicuously logs the daily talks. Each rower will wear the electronically-activates recorder. As the teams undertake their daily trainings, recordings will occur for a period of 25 minutes, which represents 8% of humans' daily utterances.
Hypotheses

The first hypothesis is that the conversations of the female subjects will include more gossip than that of the male subjects. The second hypothesis is that the gossip among females will emphasize relational matters among the group such as negative gossip about absent members of the team in a manner consistent with the use of gossip to enhance the social status of the gossiper within the group.

Literature Review Confirming the Hypotheses

A review of the available literature seems to support both experimental hypotheses. According to Leaperand & Holliday (1995), gossip is indeed much more common among pairs of female friends than it is among pairs of male friends. Whereas males in groups sometimes respond to gossip introduced by other group members neutrally, female group members frequently respond to the introduction of gossip more positively with express encouragement intended to elicit more information from the source. Likewise, male group members are far more likely to respond negatively to the introduction of gossip or to refer to it as inappropriate for discussion because the subject of the gossip is not present to respond. Another characteristic difference identified by Leaperand & Holiday (1995) is that when gossip does occur among males and within mixed-gender groups, it is less likely to be negative than the gossip that occurs within exclusively female groups. The researchers

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The first hypothesis is that the conversations of the female subjects will include more gossip than that of the male subjects. The second hypothesis is that the gossip among females will emphasize relational matters among the group such as negative gossip about absent members of the team in a manner consistent with the use of gossip to enhance the social status of the gossiper within the group.

Literature Review Confirming the Hypotheses

A review of the available literature seems to support both experimental hypotheses. According to Leaperand & Holliday (1995), gossip is indeed much more common among pairs of female friends than it is among pairs of male friends. Whereas males in groups sometimes respond to gossip introduced by other group members neutrally, female group members frequently respond to the introduction of gossip more positively with express encouragement intended to elicit more information from the source. Likewise, male group members are far more likely to respond negatively to the introduction of gossip or to refer to it as inappropriate for discussion because the subject of the gossip is not present to respond. Another characteristic difference identified by Leaperand & Holiday (1995) is that when gossip does occur among males and within mixed-gender groups, it is less likely to be negative than the gossip that occurs within exclusively female groups. The researchers
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