Gender and Cultural Differences in Communication Essay

Gender and Cultural Differences in Communication - Essay Example Verbal communication is best used to convey particular information and is especially suited for communication via technology and over longer distances. Non-verbal communication, on the other hand, is immediate compared to the former. This causes its meaning to be more ambiguous, despite the fact that various non-verbal communication forms, for example, the use of eyes and hand gestures, have the ability to convey the emotions with more effectiveness than verbal communication can. Various technological communication media such as a film can also convey many forms of non-verbal communication. Verbal Gender and Cultural Differences During verbal communication, men will normally tend to give solutions, whereas women will tend to focus more on empathy. This mirrors the fact that women are more oriented towards solidifying relationships while men in most occasions are more goal-oriented. Differences in communication across the gender divide also extend to non-verbal communication. Various gestures may be decoded one way by a man and differently by a woman. Persons from various cultures also differ in their manner of expression, even when the words and their literal meanings are translated to the listener’s native language. In some cultures, the word â€Å"yes† could really mean â€Å"maybe† while in another culture, â€Å"yes† could be considered a commitment that is binding. Women are usually better at the interpretation of non-verbal means of communication compared to men. Men also tend to be less accomplished when it comes to sending non-verbal and subtle messages.