quote:

Originally posted by Lira [*] Would you say that, whereas men often talk to one another in order to solve problems, women are more likely to talk just to share and get it off their chest? If you agree, can you think of an occasion in which this was true?[/list]

This is actually a well documented stress response by females called "tend and befriend". Females uniquely respond to stress by protecting themselves through nurturing behaviour and forming alliances with social groups - whereas men engage in activities to take their mind off the event. Men are also more likely than females to self-medicate their problems. The influence of gender roles across cultures obviously has a lot to do with coping styles as well. In Western culture it's more socially acceptable for women to lament their problems, while it's the norm for men to "tough it out". I'm sure it's not the sole reason why they do it, but perhaps taking the practical approach to solving problems is a way for men to behave within the acceptable norm.

Last edited by Silky Johnson on Jun-22-2010 at 11:43