Monday, December 23, 2013

The Battle of the Sexes - Breaking Down Gender Differences

 VS

It's the age old battle of the sexes. We all know men and women are wired differently. They think differently, speak differently, and even react differently. So how can we fuel our writing using some of those differences? Here are some generalizations for males vs females that can help with writing the opposite sex. Let the battle of the sexes begin!

Dialogue 
Male dialogue is usually shorter and snappier. Females tend to be a little more long winded.

 


Emotions
Guys tend to hide their real feelings or lash out and explode when they get mad. Fights with guys don't last very long. They get it out and it's usually over. Girls tend to be more emotional and more in touch with their feelings. Fights can stretch on for a long time. They hold grudges.



Communication
Girls are better communicators then guys. They talk through issues, try to come to logical conclusions, and even effectively use nonverbal cues. Guys are less chatty and don't always pick up on the nonverbal clues in a conversation. They have an easier time understanding the emotion if it's verbally expressed.


Attention to Detail
Girls notice details and tend to make more comparisons. They notice what people are wearing, and their surroundings. They are more landmark driven. With guys what you see is what you get. They are directionally and spatially driven. They also tend to be more broad about how they view things.

Example: Guys aren't as good with colors.
A girl might say "Wow, I love your indigo scarf."
A guy would prob just say "You look nice." (but if you asked them what the color of the scarf was they'd probably say blue.)



Multitasking
Guys can usually focus on one issue at a time. Girls are thinking about all the possible outcomes as well as eight other unrelated issues. Girls are often multitaskers so they can often get overwhelmed faster.




Reactions
Girls tend to be more serious with their friends. Everything can be a big deal. There's secrets backstabbing and drama. Guys tend to joke around more. They don't usually buy into gossip and rumors, but they will believe bold faced lies if they are presented confidently and without question.

Stress
In stressful situations, guys tend to go back to primal instincts, the fight or flight response while girls are more nurturing.



Memory
Girls tend to have better memories than guys (sorry guys!), especially when it comes to recall of pictures, words, and day to day activities. Where men excel in memory is spatially. They are more likely to remember where they parked the car or how to find their way back somewhere that they've been before.

These are just a few examples of how guys and girls think and act differently. Oh course they are generalizations and not every male/female will fit into this mold. There are no firm rules, but these are good guidelines to start off with. Feel free to share more in the comments!

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