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Bridging the communication gap between men and women
You’ve probably been there before. You sit down for a latte with your best friend and immediately her eyes start to swell with tears as she blurts out “I don’t know why, but he just won’t open up to me!” Or you and your best bud meet up at a local shop and he greets you with “Man, my girl just talked my ear off. I need a drink!” Or perhaps you were on the other end of the conversation, not understanding why you and your relationship partner were having communication problems. Men and women usually communicate and respond very differently during conversations with each other.
Because men and women interact and interpret differently, conflicts or misunderstandings can, and often do, arise. A man and woman can walk away from a conversation having gotten two totally different perspectives on how the talk went and its resolution. These different perspectives can cause dissatisfaction in one or both partners and can lead to misinterpretation, anger, or resentfulness if not properly understood and recognized.
To better understand why couples often feel that their partner doesn’t understand them, it is important to look at some of the fundamental communication differences between men and women. Keep in mind that, while psychologists have discovered these differences through clinical research, they are still generalizations. Just because most men and women communicate this way, doesn’t mean that all do or that you and your partner do. But, understanding these differences can help you determine your own communication differences and get you back on the fast track toward reconnecting with your partner.
You’ve probably been there before. You sit down for a latte with your best friend and immediately her eyes start to swell with tears as she blurts out “I don’t know why, but he just won’t open up to me!” Or you and your best bud meet up at a local shop and he greets you with “Man, my girl just talked my ear off. I need a drink!” Or perhaps you were on the other end of the conversation, not understanding why you and your relationship partner were having communication problems. Men and women usually communicate and respond very differently during conversations with each other.
Because men and women interact and interpret differently, conflicts or misunderstandings can, and often do, arise. A man and woman can walk away from a conversation having gotten two totally different perspectives on how the talk went and its resolution. These different perspectives can cause dissatisfaction in one or both partners and can lead to misinterpretation, anger, or resentfulness if not properly understood and recognized.
To better understand why couples often feel that their partner doesn’t understand them, it is important to look at some of the fundamental communication differences between men and women. Keep in mind that, while psychologists have discovered these differences through clinical research, they are still generalizations. Just because most men and women communicate this way, doesn’t mean that all do or that you and your partner do. But, understanding these differences can help you determine your own communication differences and get you back on the fast track toward reconnecting with your partner.
