I was unable to find any articles that focused primarily on anything called the 'discursive' approach, let alone any associated with Cameron's work and research.
What I do already know about the discursive approach is that it covers the idea that we are able to 'do' gender, in terms of how we use and perceive language. To paraphrase: 'Your genes don't determine your jeans'. Unlike the other three models (Dominance, Deficit & Difference) this model doesn't bring much new information to the table, it instead serves as a sort of counter, or compliment, to some of the other theories, in that it says that while there are inherent differences between the language of men and women, this does not mean that each gender is strictly bound to using only characteristics that apply inherently to them. Which is to say, that women are not exempt from using the theoretically 'male' language technique of interruptions.
John Gray's popular book: 'Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus'
John Gray is an American relationship counselor, lecturer and author. In 1992, his book: 'Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus' was published. This bestselling book, which sold over 50 million copies, became a slight cultural phenomenon after its release, with the author going on to release subsequent: 'books, recordings, seminars, theme vacations, a one man Broadway show, TV sitcom, workout videos, podcast, men's and ladies' apparel lines, fragrances, travel guides and even his-and-hers salad dressings.'
The book follows the idea that the most common relationship problems between men and women are a result of 'fundamental psychological differences between the sexes'
The main points covered in the concept of this book include:
- Language and communication matters more to women than it does to men.
- The goals using language of men tend to form around completing objectives or other tasks. However women's goals in language are more inter-personally focused.
- Women are more verbally skilled than men.
- Men have a competitive use of language and women have a cooperative use of language.
- Women talk about feelings, people and relationships, whereas men talk about concrete facts and material things.
- There tends to be miscommunication between women and men as a result of these parallels.
Beattie's challenge to Zimmerman and West
The main piece of supporting research for the Dominance theory is Zimmerman and West's Interruption study, the evidence gleaned from which suggests that in mixed-sex conversations, men interrupt more frequently than women. The research states that in 11 recorded conversations between men and women, men interrupted 46 times, and women only twice.
Geoffrey Beattie, of Sheffield University disputed this research. Recreating the experiment, Beattie claims to have recorded 10 hours of conversation, and 557 interruptions. Beattie found that women and men interrupted with about equal frequency (men 34.1 / women 33.8). This seems to directly disprove the research and conclusion of Zimmerman and West.
Mary Beard's ideas about women's voices not being valued
Classic scholar Mary Beard puts forward how women aren't perceived to be as powerful as men. She believes this to have become the case as a result of the prioritization of male voices and opinions over the ages, leading to the deeply ingrained patriarchal attitude held today. She says that, as a society, when we hear a female voice "we don't hear a voice that connotes authority; or rather we haven't learned how to hear authority in it".
The effect of written and computer-mediated forms on gendered language
Studies have indicated that gender related stereotypical patterns have been shown to exist within virtual environments, just as they exist in the real world.
In support of Lakoff's theories, males appeared to use more authoritative statements while online, whereas females appeared to use more collaborative language.
Bibliography
http://www.universalteacher.org.uk/lang/gender.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men_Are_from_Mars,_Women_Are_from_Venus
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/14/mary-beard-vocal-women-treated-freakish-androgynes
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED490640.pdf
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