Final answer:
Stereotypically, men's language style is associated with assertiveness, directness, and collaboration, but not emotional expression. Cultural and critical research reveals that these stereotypes are not universal and can vary by culture and context. The workplace often reinforces these stereotypes, affecting gender dynamics in leadership and career progression. Emotional expression
Step-by-step explanation:
Men's language style has been stereotypically associated with assertiveness, directness, and collaboration, but not typically with emotional expression. Stereotypes suggest that men communicate to assert status, prioritizing report talk over rapport talk, which is more aligned with women's stereotypical conversational style. Deborah Tannen's research indicates that men engage in conversation to assert their status, while women seek to build social connections. However, cultural studies and critical research, like that of psychologist Janet Hyde and anthropologist E. Ochs Keenan, show that these patterns are not universal and often exaggerated.
Historically, linguistic scientists like Robin Lakoff have described male communication as less emotional and more direct, which can be linked to the reinforcement of gender roles in society. Focusing on the workplace, men are often valued for the same assertive behavior that can negatively affect women's career progression, as identified by researchers like Eagly, Johannesen-Schmidt, & van Engen. These observed differences in language style, according to the meta-analysis by Eagly & Johnson, may reflect the need to adhere to organizational culture or inherent strengths in differing gender roles, but they are not absolute.