Observational Study on Gender Differences

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Nonverbal Communication Differences in Group Therapy EDUC 600 Pamela K. Noble Liberty University Abstract Alternative Education programs have instituted a mandatory therapy session once a week for every student in attendance regardless of their gender and Page Academy is no exception. Each student is required to not only attend their session but they must participate as well. In order to determine the difference between the average amount of nonverbal communication exhibited amongst male and female, I constructed an observational study where 30 high school students were observed for 45 minutes each over 2 days within a therapeutic setting. The sample group of participants consisted of 20 males and 10 females. The study showed that there was a significant difference in the amount of times females exhibited nonverbal communication skills during their sessions in comparison to the amount of times their male counterparts did. Communication Differences is it Gender Specific? Communication activities amongst “at risk” high school students has been widely studied. Previous studies have hinted at the idea that men and women communicate differently. Hall (1980) suggested that females tend to be better at using and decoding nonverbal communicating cues, especially facial expressions. However, males appear to have an advantage with certain aspects of emotional control and regulation Riggio (1986). Also, in order to further investigate the idea that females have better communication skills than males Hall (2005) published an observational study on nonverbal gender differences and discussed the cultural reasons as to those differences. In her study, she noted females as smiling and laughing more, as well as having a better understanding of others’ nonverbal cues. She believed that females were encouraged to be more emotionally expressive in their

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