Gender A01

Question 1

Sex and gender

Answer 1

Sex and gender are recognised as separate concepts

Question 2

Define sex

Answer 2

Sex refers to a persons biological status as either male o female, this is determined by a pair of sex chromosomes (XY for man and XX for a woman). These chromosomes then influence hormonal differences in anatomy eg growth of reproductive organs or body shape. Sex is innate and influenced by nature.

Question 3

Define gender

Answer 3

A persons gender refers to their psychological status as either masculine or feminine, this includes all of the attitudes, roles and behaviours associated with the gender, these are heavily influenced by social norms and cultural expectation. Gender is partially determined by environment due to nurture it is not fixed but rather fluid and open to change.

Question 4

Gender dysphoria

Answer 4

This is when someone’s biologically prescribed sex does not reflect the gender they feel identify as. Some of these people have gender reassignment sugary to bring their biological sex in line with the identified gender.

Question 5

Sex role stereotypes

Answer 5

A set of shared expectations that people within a society of culture hold about what is acceptable or usual for men and women. These are transmitted through society and reinforced by parents peers and teachers. These can sometimes lead to sexist assumptions being formed. Sex role stereotype can be liked to research support for the social learning theories explanation of attachment eg Smith and Lloyd.

Question 6

Explain androgyny

Answer 6

A personality type characterised by a balance of masculine and feminine traits, attitudes, and behaviours. There is research suggesting that androgynous people have better psychological wellbeing because they can adapt to a greater range of situations whereas non-androgynous people have a narrower range of traits. Both men an women ca be androgynous but it is important to note that overrepresentation of the opposite gender does not constitute androgyny.

Question 7

The Bem Sex Role Inventory

Answer 7

Sandra Bem’s scale presents 20 characteristics that wold be commonly associated as masculine and 20 associated with femininity and a further 20 neutral characteristics are added. Participants rate themselves on a seven point rating scale for each characteristic. Scores are classified on the basis of two dimensions. (masculinity- femininity) and (androgynous-undifferentiated)

Question 8

Bem’s results table

Answer 8

high mac-low fem=masc
high fem -low masc=fem
high masc- high fem=androgynous
low masc- low fem=undifferentiated.

Question 9

The role of chromosomes

Answer 9

Chromosomes are made from DNA. Genes are short sections of DNA that determine the characteristics of living things. There are 46 pairs of chromosomes in the human body arranged into 23 pairs, the 23rd pair determines biological sex. The babies sex is determined by the sperm which fertilises the egg. If the sperm does carry a Y chromosome it will carry a gene called the ‘sex determining region Y’ o SRY. This gene causes testes to grow in an XY embryo. These produce androgens, the male sex hormone.

Question 10

The role of hormones

Answer 10

Chromosomes initially determine an persons sex but most gender development comes from hormones. Prenatally in the womb hormones effect brain development and case the development of reproductive organs. At puberty a second burst of hormones triggers development of secondary sexual characteristics Males and females produce many of the sae hormones at varying concentrations. The hormone of primary importance for ale development is androgens eg testosterone.

Question 11

Testosterone

Answer 11

A male hormone with presents in small quantities in women. It controls the foetal development of male sex organs (without testosterone no sex organs will appear). If a genetic female produces testosterone there is a possibility that they will develop male sex organs. According to evolutionary explanation, high levels of testosterone are also linked to aggression which allowed males to compete for fertile females attention. Aggression also allows me to take on the hunter role.

Question 12

Oestrogen

Answer 12

Oestrogen determines the female sexual characteristics and menstruation. Alongside the physical changes oestrogen causes some women to experience heightened emotions and irritability during the menstrual cycle. This is referred to as premenstrual tension (PMT) or premenstrual syndrome (PMS) . In extreme cases these have been used as a defence for shoplifting and murder. Though some researchers dispute its existence.

Question 13

Oxytocin

Answer 13

Women typically produce oxytocin in large amounts after giving birth and in larger amounts then men. The hormone stimulates lactation making breastfeeding possible it also reduces the hormone cortisol with allows bonding. After birth it makes mothers ‘in love’ with their babies. Men producing less of this hormone fuels stereotype that they are less interested in intimacy however evidence suggests that both men and women produce it in equal amounts during kissing and intercourse.

Question 14

Klinefelter syndrome

Answer 14

It effects 1 in 600 males, individuals will have this condition are biological males and anatomically males. They have an extra X chromosome so their chromosome is denoted XXY. Around 10% of cases are diagnosed prenatally and about 2/3 are usually diagnosed in adulthood via medical examination for an unrelate issue.

Question 15

Physical characteristics of Klinefelter syndrome

Answer 15

-reduced body hair
-some breast development at puberty
-rounding of body contours (gynecomastia)
-long gangly limbs
-underdeveloped genitals
-problems with coordination, clumsiness
- susceptible for breast cancer

Question 16

Psychological characteristics of Klinefelter syndrome

Answer 16

-poorly developed language skills
-poor reading ability
-shy and passive with a lack of interest with sexual activity
-not respond well in stressful situations
-problems with executive functioned eg problem solving and memory

Question 17

Turner’s syndrome

Answer 17

Effects approximately 1 in 5000 biological females, absence of one of the two allotted X chromosomes, referred to as XO. So effected individuals have 45 chromosomes instead of 46.

Question 18

Physical characteristics

Answer 18

-no menstrual cycle (amenorrhoea)
-infertility (ovaries not developed)
-lacking breasts
-broad shield chest
-low set ears
-webbed neck
-high waist to hip ratio
-physically immature
-appearance of prepubescent girls

Question 19

Psychological characteristics of Turner’s syndrome

Answer 19

-higher than average reading ability
-lower than average spatial, visual, memory, and maths
-tend to be socially immature
-difficulty fitting in

Question 20

Kohlberg’s theory

Answer 20

Lawrence Kohlberg (1966) cognitive development theory of gender is based on the idea that a child’s understanding of gender becomes more sophisticated with age. This link with age is not bout experience but the biological maturation of the brain and the thinking. Gender runs parallel to intellectual development and is thought to process through three stages. Kohlberg suggested that this transition is gradual.

Question 21

Gender identity

Answer 21

Around age 2, children can identify if they are a male nor female. This is gender identity. At 3 years they can identify other boys and girls correctly and answer questions like, ‘which one is like you’. Their identity if gender doesn’t reach beyond simple labels. They don’t understand that gender is permanent , a boy may expect to grow up to me a mother.

Question 22

Gender stability

Answer 22

At age 4, children acquire gender stability. They realise that they will always stay the same gender. However they cannot apply this logic to other people. They are often confused by external changes changes and may describe a long haired man as a woman. They will also become confused when genders complete activities associated with the other gender.