Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Why are Women Better Decoders of Nonverbal Language?

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Gender Issues Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Women have consistently been found to be better decoders of nonverbal language compared to men. It is unknown however, whether this sex difference is biological or non-biological in nature. The current study sought to test for the first time the effect emotional intelligence (EI), trait dominance, and psychological gender had on nonverbal decoding accuracy. 86 undergraduate university students (43 males and 43 female), mean age 20.86 years old, completed the mini-Profile of Nonverbal Sensitivity, the Mayer–Salovey–Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, the Dominance Subscale of The Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire, and the Bem Sex-Role Inventory. Overall women were found to score 4.35 points significantly higher than men in nonverbal ability, 95 % CI [−2.31, 2.31], and 7.15 points significantly higher than men in EI, 95 % CI [−5.97, 5.97]. Higher EI scores were also found to predict significantly greater nonverbal decoding accuracy. These findings suggest that EI rather than biological sex appears to be the salient factor in an individual’s nonverbal decoding accuracy. Trait dominance, and participants’ masculinity and femininity scores however, were not found to be significantly correlated with nonverbal decoding ability, thus the non-biological model of EI, trait dominance, and psychological gender did not account for significantly more unique variance in decoding accuracy, compared to the biological model when biological sex alone was considered.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Argyle, M., Salter, V., Nicholson, H., Williams, M., & Burgess, P. (1970). The communication of inferior and superior attitudes by verbal and non-verbal signals. British Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 9, 222–231. doi:10.1111/j.2044-8260.1970.tb00668.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Austin, E. J. (2005). Emotional intelligence and emotional information processing. Personality and Individual Differences, 39, 403–414. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.uow.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0191886905000395.

  3. Banziger, T., Scherer, K. R., Hall, J. A., & Rosenthal, R. (2011). Introducing the MiniPONS: A short multichannel version of the profile of nonverbal sensitivity (PONS). Journal of Nonverbal Behaviour, 35, 189–204. doi:10.1007/s10919-011-0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Bem, S. L. (1974). The measurement of psychological androgyny. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42, 155–162. doi:10.1037/h0036215.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Bii, P. K., Lucas, O., Mwengei, O. K. B., Koskey, N., Korir, E., & Yano, E. M. (2012). Age: A determinant of management’s emotional intelligence competency. Journal of Emerging Trends in Educational Research and Policy Studies, 3, 807–811.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Borisoff, D., & Merrill, L. (1992). The power to communicate: Gender difference as barriers. London: Waveland Press.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Carli, L. L., LaFleur, S. J., & Loeber, C. C. (1995). Nonverbal behavior, gender, and influence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68, 1030–1041. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.68.6.1030.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Cattell, H. E. P., & Mead, A. D. (2008). The Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF). In G. J. Boyle, G. Matthews, & D. H. Saklofske (Eds.), The Sage handbook of personality theory and assessment (pp. 135–159). London: SAGE.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Choi, N., & Fuqua, D. R. (2003). Structure of the bem sex role inventory: A summary report of 23 validation studies. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 63, 872–887. doi:10.1177/0013164403258235.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Civil Liberties (2013). Feminism in the United States. Retrieved October 5, 2013, from http://civilliberty.about.com/od/gendersexuality/tp/History-of-Feminism.htm.

  11. Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Dambrun, M., Duarte, S., & Guimond, S. (2004). Why are men more likely to support group-based dominance than women? The mediating role of gender identification. British Journal of Social Psychology, 43, 287–297. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.uow.edu.au/docview/219171774/abstract?accountid=15112

  13. DeBusk, K. P. A., & Austin, E. J. (2011). Emotional intelligence and social perception. Personality and Individual Differences, 51, 764–768. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.uow.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0191886911003023.

  14. DiDonato, M. D., & Berenbaum, S. A. (2013). Predictors and consequences of gender typicality: The mediating role of communality. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 42, 429–436. doi:10.1007/s10508-012-9955-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Fernandez, J., & Coello, M. T. (2010). Do the BSRI and PAQ really measure masculinity and femininity? The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 13, 1000–1009. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.uow.edu.au/docview/814845727

  16. Fox, V. (2004). Medication. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 27, 287–289. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.uow.edu.au/docview/204782598

  17. Frisch, M. B., & McCord, M. (1987). Sex role orientation and social skill: A naturalistic assessment of assertion and conversational skills. Sex Roles, 17, 437–448. doi:10.1007/BF00288146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Giannini, A. J. (1995). Suggestions for future studies of nonverbal facial cues. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 81, 555–558. doi:10.1002/lt.23717.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Gilligan, C. (1982). In a different voice. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  20. Haghighi, S., Zemestani, M., & Samavi, S. A. (2013). Study of emotional intelligence from childhood to middle age. Journal of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, 3, 189–192.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Hall, J. A. (1978). Gender effects in decoding nonverbal cues. Psychological Bulletin, 85, 845–857. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.85.4.845.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Hall, J. A. (1984). Nonverbal sex differences: Communication accuracy and expressive style. Baltimore: John Hopkins University.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Henley, N. (1977). Body politics: Power, sex, and nonverbal communication. New York: Prentice-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  24. Hirokawa, K., Yagi, A., & Miyata, Y. (2004). An examination of masculinity-femininity traits and their relationships to communication skills and stress-coping skills. Social Behavior and Personality, 32, 731–740. doi:10.2224/sbp.2004.32.8.731.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Hoffman, D. M., & Fidell, L. S. (1979). Characteristics of androgynous, undifferentiated, masculine, and feminine middle-class women. Sex Roles, 6, 765–781. doi:10.1007/BF00287937.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Holt, C. L., & Ellis, J. B. (1998). Assessing the current validity of the bem sex-role inventory. Sex Roles, 39, 929–941. doi:10.1023/A:1018836923919.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Kelly, J. A., O’Brien, G. G., & Hosford, R. (1981). Sex roles and social skills considerations for interpersonal adjustment. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 5, 758–766. doi:10.1111/j.1471-6402.1981.tb01099.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Knapp, M. L. (1972). Nonverbal communication in human interaction. New York: Holt.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Lieberman, D. A., Rigo, T. G., & Robert, F. (1988). Age-related differences in nonverbal decoding ability. Communication Quarterly, 36, 290–297. doi:10.1080/01463378809369732.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. MacGeorge, E. L., Feng, B., & Butler, G. L. (2003). Gender differences in the communication values of mature adults. Communication Research Reports, 20, 191–199. doi:10.1080/08824090309388817.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Mast, M. S., & Hall, J. A. (2004). When is dominance related to smiling? Assigned dominance, dominance preference, trait dominance, and gender as moderators. Sex Roles, 50, 387–399. doi:10.1023/B:SERS.0000018893.08121.ef.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Mayer, D. J., Salovey, P., Caruso, D. R., & Sitarenios, G. (2003). Measuring emotional intelligence with the MSCEIT V2.0. Emotion, 3, 97–105. doi:10.1037/1528-3542.3.1.97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. McClure, E. B. (2000). A meta-analytic review of sex differences in facial expression processing and their development in infants, children, and adolescents. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 424–453. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.126.3.424.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. McIntyre, H. H. (2010). Gender differences in the nature and linkage of higher-order personality factors to trait and ability emotional intelligence. Personality and Individual Differences, 48, 617–622. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.uow.edu.au/science/article/pii/S019188690900525X.

  35. Meeren, K. M., van Heijnsbergen, C. C. R. J., & de Gelder, B. (2005). Rapid perceptual integration of facial expression and emotional body language. PNAS (The National Academy of Sciences of the USA), 102, 16518–16523. doi:10.1073/pnas.0507650102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Mehrabian, R. (1982). Rapid solidification. International Metal Review, 27, 185–193. doi:10.1179/095066082790324432.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Pavlova, M., Guerreschi, M., Lutzenberger, W., Sokolov, A. N., & Krageloh-Mann, I. (2010). Cortical response to social interaction is affected by gender. NeuroImge, 50, 1327–1332. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2009.12.096.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Petrides, K. V., & Furnham, A. (2000). Gender differences in measured and self-estimated trait emotional intelligence. Sex Roles, 42, 449–461. doi:10.1023/A:1007006523133.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Petrides, K. V., & Furnham, A. (2003). Trait emotional intelligence. Behavioural validation in two studies of emotion recognition and reactivity to mood induction. European Journal of Personality, 17, 39–57. doi:10.1002/per.466.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Reber, R., & Flammer, A. (2002). The development of gender differences in affective expression and in the relationship between mood and achievement-related self-judgements. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 17, 377–392. doi:10.1007/BF03173592.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Riggio, R. E. (2006). Nonverbal skills and abilities [MyiLibrary version]. Retrived from http://www.communicationcache.com/uploads/1/0/8/8/10887248/nonverbal_skills_and_abilities.pdf

  42. Rosenthal, R., Hall, J. A., DiMatteo, M. R., Rogers, P. L., & Archer, D. (1979). Sensitivity to nonverbal communication: The PONS test. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  43. Rotondo, J. L. (2000). Dominance and gender in conversational interaction (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Australia: University of Notre Dame.

    Google Scholar 

  44. Schmid, P. C., Mast, M. S., Bombari, D., & Mast, F. W. (2011). Gender effects in information processing on a nonverbal decoding task. Sex Roles, 65, 102–107. doi:10.1007/s11199-011-9979-3.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Schnellmann, J. (1985). The relation of dominance and gender in the decoding of nonverbal cues of affect (Unpublished doctoral thesis). Saint Louis University, America.

  46. Schutte, N. S., Malouff, J. M., Bobik, C., & Coston, T. D. (2001). Emotional intelligence and interpersonal relations. The Journal of Social Psychology, 141, 523–536. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.uow.edu.au/docview/199837598.

  47. Schutte, N. S., Malouff, J. M., Hall, L. E., Haggerty, D. J., Cooper, J. T., Golden, C. J., & Dornheim, L. (1998). Development and validation of a measure of emotional intelligence. Personality and Individual Differences, 25, 167–177. Retrieved from http://www.sciencedirect.com.ezproxy.uow.edu.au/science/article/pii/S0191886998000014.

  48. Sidanius, J., & Pratto, F. (1999). Social dominance: An intergroup theory of social hierarchy and oppression. New York: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  49. Spangler, L. (1995). Gender-specific nonverbal communication: Impact for speaker effectiveness. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 6, 409–419. doi:10.1002/hrdq.3920060409.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Spence, J. T., & Buckner, C. (1995). Gender, power, and communication in human relationships. Hillsdale: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  51. Sternglanz, R. W., & DePaulo, B. M. (2004). Reading nonverbal cues to emotions: The advantages and liabilities of relationship closeness. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 28, 245–266. doi:10.1007/s10919-004-4158-7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  52. Weitz, S. (1974). Nonverbal communication: Readings with commentary. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, 2522, NSW, Australia

    Monika Gulabovska & Peter Leeson

Authors
  1. Monika Gulabovska
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Peter Leeson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Monika Gulabovska.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gulabovska, M., Leeson, P. Why are Women Better Decoders of Nonverbal Language?. Gend. Issues 31, 202–218 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12147-014-9127-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12147-014-9127-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation