Deborah Tannen has some interesting books in the popular market. "You Just Don't Understand" is one that comes to mind immediately, but she has some more recent work too. I think helping this person understand the purpose of different types of language would be helpful, and also some of the gender differences in how people communicate (troubles-talk versus solution-talk, cooperation talk versus competition talk, etc.). Perhaps some skills training might also be helpful, such as assertiveness training (to end conversations) or communication training (to deepen or respond to superficial conversations). Another topic is just understanding personality differences, such as the difference between extraversion and introversion. I've heard comments similar to his from some introverts that I know. "Why won't you just stop talking and be quiet!" :)
______________________________________________ Roderick D. Hetzel, Ph.D. Department of Psychology LeTourneau University Post Office Box 7001 2100 South Mobberly Avenue Longview, Texas 75607-7001 Office: Education Center 218 Phone: 903-233-3893 Fax: 903-233-3851 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Homepage: http://www.letu.edu/people/rodhetzel > -----Original Message----- > From: Laura Valvatne [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Tuesday, April 27, 2004 11:10 AM > To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences > Subject: "He Talks Too Much" > > > Hello Tipsters, > > A 60-year-old male who works for the U.S. Department of Agriculture > sent me the following letter. I would appreciate any thoughts > you have > before I reply. > > > "Would you be able to recommend to me some reading material > about a couple of topics that I've pondered about for a long > time, but haven't come up with any answers. Maybe even a > class at the College that would enlighten me. > > 1- What is it about some folks, both at work and in my > personal life, that just plain talk too much. They will even > follow me to keep talking, its not lecturing type talk, its > just talk about things. Often one topic just drifts in to > another. Its usually about their life in some manner, about > their kids or their experiences. > > Is there something I should be doing? Are they looking for > some kind of feedback? What in the world causes such things? > The folks that I'm referring to seem to have a pretty high > view of themselves and their experiences. > > 2- What causes some folks to be so secretive about things? I > realize that there is a view that knowledge is power, and > some folks try to use even the simplest piece of information > as a means of control, if they think that you might want that > information. Why would someone expect an enterprise to be > successful if they are at the head of the enterprise and > insist upon being secretive about most things?" > > Thank you for your help, > Laura > > Laura Valvatne, Ph.D. > Psychology > Shasta College > 11555 Old Oregon Trail > Redding, CA 96049 > > 530-225-4954 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
