In 1990, Deborah Tannen wrote the book, You Just Don’t Understand: Women and Men in Conversation, to explain the gender differences in communication styles between men and women. In her observation of young boys, Tannen noticed that they create relationships with each other by doing things together; activities are central to their friendship. Girls, on the other hand, create close relationships with each other by simply talking. For girls, talk is the essence of intimacy.

Men are from Mars and Wo...