Have a strong silent type at home driving you to drink? Then read on.
New research from the University of Missouri claims the reason males don't want to talk is not because they fear a threat to their masculinity; they simply don't find talking to be a "particularly useful activity." Ever.
Whereas the girls and women studied found that talking through problems made them "feel cared for, understood and less alone", boys thought talking would make them feel “weird” and like they were “wasting time”.
Before you go tearing out your hair in frustration, consider that such gender differences must be innate. After all, four different studies -- involving 2,000 kids and teens -- unanimously agreed that boys learn early on that talking through problems isn't always helpful.
The article, “How Girls and Boys Expect Disclosure About Problems Will Make Them Feel: Implications for Friendships”, to be published in an upcoming edition of the journal Child Development, points out that while boys may need a little coaxing to open up, girls could do with some 'clamming' up.
Too much of a good thing can be bad. Too much talk can in fact cause girls to dwell on their problems, leading to anxiety and depression.
How do you get your man, big or small, to open up and talk to you?
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