Communication is an essential part of human life. People perceive things differently due to differences in ethnicity, attitudes and beliefs, etc. These differences can affect our ability to communicate with our counterpart. It is therefore necessary to keep an open mind in order to reduce the risk of communication breakdown. Men and women are different, as everyone knows. However, their differences are not only physiological and anatomical. Recent research has concluded that there are remarkable differences between the two sexes in the way their brains process information, language, emotions, cognition, and more. Scientists have discovered differences in the way men and women perform mental functions such as judging speed, estimating time, visualization and spatial positioning, and mental arithmetic. Men and women are remarkably different not only in these tasks, but also in the way their brains process language. This could explain why there are overwhelmingly more male mathematicians, pilots, mechanical engineers, race car drivers and space scientists than there are women. On the other hand, there are areas in which women outperform men. Women are naturally blessed with better communication and verbal skills. They are equally effective as men in certain tasks such as emotional empathy, establishing human relationships, carrying out planned tasks and creative expressions (Kimura 1999). The same concept was expressed by Edward O. Wilson (1992), father of sociobiology. at Harvard University. He says women tend to be better equipped than their counterparts in terms of verbal and social skills, safety needs and empathy. In the other, males tend to be better at spatial ... middle of paper ...meaningful communication must take place. In conclusion, there are differences between men and women that go beyond social upbringing. These differences find their origin in their genes. The obvious differences between men and women are reflected in their behavior and communication. It is possible that these differences in turn raise the problem of inability to understand each other because, in communication, men and women have different expectations from each other. Understanding and appreciating these differences is essential for meaningful communication to take place. Works Cited Kimura, D. Sex and Cognition, MIT Press, 1999 Lieberman, Simma. “Differences in Male and Female Communication Styles” Simma Lieberman Associates (undated). Retrieved February 25, 2010