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Sex differences in communication with close friends: testing Tannen's claims
Nicole L Oxley1, Mary T Dzindolet, Jessica L Miller
1Cameron University, Lawton, OK 73505, USA.
Psychological Reports
|November 6, 2002
Summary
Men and women have similar numbers of friends, but men discuss less intimate topics and offer less comfort. These findings suggest small sex differences in interpersonal communication.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Communication Studies
Background:
- Previous research by Tannen (1990) suggested significant sex differences in friendship dynamics.
- Tannen's claims included fewer close friends for men, less intimate discussions, and differing responses to friends' problems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To empirically examine Tannen's (1990) claims regarding sex differences in friendship communication.
- To investigate differences in the number of friends, intimacy of discussion topics, and response styles between men and women.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to 168 students to gather self-report data on friendship patterns.
- The survey assessed the number of close friends, topics of discussion, and responses to friends' problems.
Main Results:
- Consistent with Tannen, men discussed less intimate topics (e.g., politics, school/work) and were less likely to offer comfort or listen.
- Inconsistent with Tannen, no significant differences were found in the number of close friends reported by men and women.
- Men and women did not differ in their likelihood of offering advice when presented with a friend's problem.
Conclusions:
- Self-report data partially support Tannen's observations regarding topic intimacy and comfort-giving in friendships.
- The study contradicts Tannen's claims about the number of friends and offering advice, indicating small sex differences.
- Findings align with other research suggesting minimal sex differences in interpersonal communication.
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