Research by Deborah Tannen provides us with some important insights into the differences b

etween men and women in terms of their conversational styles. In particular, she has been able to explain why gender often creates oral communication barriers. The essence of Tannen’s research is that men use talk to emphasize status whereas women use it to create connection Tannen states that communication is a continual balancing act, juggling the conflicting needs for intimacy and independence. Intimacy emphasizes closeness and commonalities. Independence emphasizes separateness and differences. So, for many men, conversations are primarily a means to preserve independence and maintain status in a hierarchical social order. For many women, conversations are negotiations for closeness in which people try to seek and give confirmation and support.