Sex differences in eavesdropping on nonverbal cues: Developmental changes

Examined the developmental acquisition of females' superiority in decoding nonverbal cues. Three age groups (121 male and 129 female 9-15 yr olds, 46 male and 63 female high school students, and 32 male and 49 female undergraduates) were examined cross-sectionally, and 24 male and 24 female 11-24 yr olds were examined longitudinally. Decoding of 4 types of nonverbal cues (face, body, tone, and discrepancies), arranged from the most to the least controllable (most "leaky") channel, was examined. ANOVA and the appropriate contrast showed that as age increased, females lost more and more of their advantage for the more leaky or more covert channels but that they gained more and more of their advantage for the less leaky channels. Results of the longitudinal 1-yr study support those of the cross-sectional study--during the year, women lost more and more of their advantage in more leaky channels. Results are consistent with a socialization interpretation--that as females grow older, they may learn to be more nonverbally courteous or accommodating. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).