Summary of the Lecture

It is an interesting lecture about communication. The first part of the lecture shows how different culture communicate differently.A study on groups of Japanese students and American students , with 2 female and 2 male in each group, shows that the American students have direct style in communication.In contrast, the Japanese style was indirect.They don't use the same language with all people.For example,the don't speak to their friends the same way they speak to their boss or their family.Furthermore,they tend not to argue or confront in their communication.In addition, the study shows that American students have direct style when they start and handle conversation or when they argue.On the contrary, the Japanese style not direct. They tend to start the conversation by ladies-first then by age order.


The second part of the lecture is about conversational coherence between different gender and different ages which shows interesting results. For example,when men talk to each other they usually not face each other.But when women speak to each other the tend to face each other even if their chairs are not facing which shows the different physical alignment in conversation between men and women.In addition, 8 years old boys use few words and feel discomfort when they speak to each other.However, 8 years old girls feel comfortable to share their story with each other and support each other. 12 years old boys talk about many short topics such as sport; according to research, 55 different topics in 20 seconds.In contrast,the girls talk about fewer longer topics.From age 15, girls and boys tend to speak more like adult but still there is different between them. for example, in troubles talk,boys wants to show their experience with no sharing or supporting to each other. However, girls shows their support to each other by focusing on 1 gril's problem. As boys become adult(age 25),they face difficulty in choosing a serious topic and they don't speak about any personal reflection whereas girls tend to speak about their personal relationships with support to each other.


The third part is talking about TV debates and achieving "expert status".TV debates it's a TV show usually start at midnight for 3 hours that discuss different topics such as social, politics, culture...etc.Peole invited in the show are experts and concerns.A study on these shows finds that men talk more than women and they present them selves as an expert and everybody expect them.In contrast to women, their status as expert is not expected by everyone and they end to be as concern.Finally,communication in workplace.Each work place has different environment depending on the status and connection between people.In addition, there are two types of meeting in the workplace,structural(formal): 1 at a time approach and informal.In the formal meeting, men tend to speak more than women.however,in structural meeting men equal women in participating.


In my opinion, people can notice the differences in communication between men and women in many places and in many situation.From my own experience, I observed these differences in young age kids. My friends' 3 years old sons play with each other as if they are fighting, they run after each other, kick each other and they rarely speak to each other and if they did, they say few words.Whereas other freinds' daughters when the meet each other, they speak a lot in somehow a language as if they really understand each other or as if they are speaking a real language, they laugh, they hold each other hand and share their dolls or other toys.