I do believe that in Deborah Tannen had set realistic situations in her article about male and female communication and socialization styles. If I were a mediator, I would explain to each of them that men and women have extremely different ways of communicating and give them situations that they could better understand eachothers piont of veiws so that they will be better at socializing together and not have to wory about the other on feeling that they aren't being heard. Hopefully that will eliminate any misconceptions that they hae for eachother.

Men and women communicate extremely different ways. this is probably why there is always tension between the two when they are in need to communicate with each other. A prime example of how men and women are unable to communicate is many women think that when they are talking men are not listening either because they are not making direct eye contact or they don't say anything during the to acknowledge that they understand during the conversation. Boys communicate better by doing thins together and gils by talking and sharing secrets with each other. Many women feel that sharing secrets with one another bonds them together but when sharing them with men, men take it is an invitation to try and help solve the problem rather than to understand and relate to what they are saying.



http://homestar.org/bryannan/tannen.html
http://psychologytoday.com/articles/index.php?term=pto-2113.html&fromMod=popular_relationships