Title: The myth of Mars and Venus /
Authors: Cameron, Deborah, 1958-
Publisher: Oxford University Press,
Year: 2007
Subjects: Language and languages Sex differences
Abstract: "A thriving industry of self-help manuals and popular science books has grown up in the last fifteen years, all based on the assertion that there are fundamental differences in the way that men and women use language to communicate. Whether the reason given is nature, nurture, or planet of origin, the 'Mars and Venus' story is widely accepted. But, asks Deborah Cameron, 'Why do so many people find it convincing?'" "Drawing on the findings of more than thirty years of academic research, Cameron dispels the myths to tell a much more complicated - and satisfying - story, and shows how selective and inaccurate is the picture presented by many popular writers. She also demonstrates that popular assumptions about 'male-female miscommunication' can have far-reaching consequences in many areas of life: for example, attitudes to sexual violence or discrimination in the work-place."--Jacket.
Contents: Myths and why they matter -- A time and a place : putting myths in context -- Partial truths : why difference is not the whole story -- Worlds apart? : Mars and Venus in childhood and adolescence -- Cross-purposes : the myth of male-female understanding -- Back to nature : brains, genes, and evolution -- Public speaking : Mars and Venus in politics and the workplace -- Doing what comes naturally : gender, identity, and style -- Beyond Mars and Venus?