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Subject:Deborah Tannen's Work From:John Gear <catalyst -at- PACIFIER -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 9 Mar 1995 19:24:00 PST
> Just a note: although Tannen's work is based on some research, her
> book ("You don't understand me! Men and women in conversation", or
> something like that) is pop psychology. Take it with a grain of salt.
> There's more recent work ("Men are from Mars, Women from Venus" if I'm
> remembering correctly, author's name not remembered) that my sister
> (working on her M.A. in psych) mentioned in this context that seems to
> provide a less simplistic view. The conclusion in the latter book is
Geoff: You might want to check with your sister again just to make sure you
heard her correctly. You've got the "pop" psychology tag applied to the
wrong author.
Dr. Tannen is a serious scholar/linguist who does honest-to-god
research==more than "some." Of course, she is cursed to work in a field
that draws journalists like flies to honey, none of whom can resist reading
the book jacket (or having it read to them) to make solemn proclamations
about "scientists now think ... blahblahblah ... the difference between men
and women is ...blahblahblah."
But it would be wrong and a slight to her work to compare her to the guy who
wrote Mars/Venus. He did no research besides stare at his navel and record
the stereotypes and prejudices that he heard in his own head. And then he
took it on the road and is pulling down mega$$$ for it. It may *sound* less
simplistic--but then, when you aren't constrained by little things like
evidence and the scientific method, why it's amazing how subtle and delicate
the theories you can produce!
*Not* a flame. Just hate to see a *good* piece of social research (Tannen's
work) lumped in with the dreck.
Regards,
John Gear (catalyst -at- pacifier -dot- com)
"The press in this country is now and has always been so thoroughly
dominated by the wealthy few of the country that it cannot be depended upon
to give the great mass of the people that correct information concerning
political, economical, and social subjects which it is necessary that the
mass of people shall have in order that they shall vote and in all ways act
in the best way to protect themselves from the brutal force and chicanery of
the ruling and employing classes ...."
Edward Wyliss Scripps,
founder of the Scripps empire,
the first modern newspaper chain.
