ship is there. But to be effective in working with such groups we
need to be aware of certain habitual ways of communication.
Age is often a determining factor as to who speaks when,
how often and to whom. Young people are expected to be
respectful of their elders, deferential to their opinions,
careful not to contradict or answer back.
Leaders or authority figures are particularly respected-
even by their age mates. They are listened to more than
most.
Women, especially young women, are expected to speak in
mixed groups only when invited to do so.
It is considered rude to interrupt or "cut across" someone
who is speaking.
It is considered bad manners to become emotional or "over-
heated".
People should be given time to have their say, and decisions
are not made hurriedly.

From your own experience of rural communities and your observa-
tions, perhaps you would want to add to this list. But no doubt you
will agree that to be blinkered to these expectations or to insensitvely
challenge them, would reduce your effectiveness in building a
harmonious and productive relationship with your farmer groups.
However, some of these factors do pose problems for an extension
worker who seeks to maximize participation in problem solving and
decision making. How, for instance, does the traditional attitude to
women's participation in group discussions affect our attempts to
involve them more in adopting progressive agricultural practices?
In the following sections of this and the next chapter, these
traditional factors should be borne in mind in all that is said about
generating discussion and using problem solving techniques.
Sometimes there will be a degree of incompatibility between
"modern" recommended strategies and the "traditional" patterns of
communication. The skill of the extension worker is in seeing
adaptations to more customary patterns of interaction or in gently
persuading groups to use discussion methods to which they are not
accustomed. This is, of course, easier said than done!