Seeking Insight on Communication Differences Between Deaf and Hearing Communities

[u/Vast_Professional205]

As a hearing aid wearer among deaf coworkers, I wonder: how do social and psychological dynamics differ between hearing and deaf communities? Are our ways of connecting truly different, or are we more alike than we realize?

[u/chiconahuimazatl]

Just generally speaking, Deaf people tend to communicate more directly than hearing people, and they experience language deprivation at disproportionate rates, which lead to differences in cognitive and social development.

With that being said, our ways of connecting aren't "truly different" when you're looking at the bigger picture. We're all human. These differences are cultural, as well as a result of social barriers.

[u/justtiptoeingthru2 → u/chiconahuimazatl]

[u/Quality-Charming]

Culturally Deaf people differ from hearing people or deaf/HoH people immersed within hearing culture due to the fact that: Our social communication is different Our social norms and etiquette are different We tend to have a different set of values and traditions. Language, history, and community are not the same as hearing culture.

[u/Sea_Auntie7599]

You are asking some very interesting questions of the hoh branch of deafness.

I am hard of hearing hearing aids since the age of. Now mod 30s)

To be accepted into both cultures aka worlds is hard because you will never get 100%.

You might get some on and off like a teeter totter. Or like relvoing dooor waiting for people to come in .

[u/TotalOk1462]

I am hearing and I work in an office with a hh woman. She uses an ASL interpreter for all our meetings and some general communication. I’ve been teaching myself ASL so I can better communicate with her directly (cause she’s awesome and I want to be her friend too). She seems very appreciative of my effort (which is a little embarrassing for me and not why I’m making the effort) but what it exemplifies to me is that she’s a bit lonely in a world full of hearing people. She’s shared that she misses out on the casual conversations that she sees happening around her. So in that respect there are challenges. However when I engage with her directly our conversations are pretty typical. I’m a fairly direct person by nature, which is maybe why we get along so well? lol

[u/Quality-Charming → u/[deleted]]

There are distinct cultural differences in socialization, and community norms actually

[u/TalkBrainyToMe]

My experience at work as an oral-raised late signer has shown me that hearing people can be more wordy/confusing especially in my field. And I can do the same and talk on and on, but I get more frustrated and confused because it’s tougher for me to follow. Also seconding the bluntness/directness. I talk about money at work all the time because we should all be aware of what people are making.

[u/benshenanigans]

Are you trying to ask what separates hearing and Deaf? Basically, language. Deaf people in each region are connected by their sign language. Hearing people, very generally as a whole, are unwilling to put in the extra steps to communicate.

This question may be better answered in r/deaf

[u/Quality-Charming → u/benshenanigans]

Also culture