Sex + Gender Flashcards
1
Q
Sex
A
Biological term of male / female
2
Q
Gender
A
How masculine or feminine an individual is
3
Q
Androgyny
A
A type of gender with high levels of both male and female traits
4
Q
(S+G core theory)
Biological approach
(4)
A
- an individual’s gender is decided at the same time as their sex
- chromosomes determine masculinity and femininity
- gender roles are instinctive
- females need to save eggs and are good mothers, males have to fight for food -> survival of the fittest
5
Q
Testosterone
A
Aggression, better at maths and directions
6
Q
Oestrogen
A
More sensitive, lack of testosterone leads to better speaking skills
7
Q
Biological approach evaluation
A
- Gender roles may be learnt due to families socialising males and females differently. Different behaviours may be rewarded or punished.
- It doesn’t explain range of behaviour in sexes, a man may be more feminine with same amount of testosterone
- Biology is fixed but gender can change over time
8
Q
(S+G alternative theory)
Psychodynamic approach
A
- Development by unconscious forces
- Oedipus complex: desires mother, castration anxiety, resolved by identifying w/ father
- Electra complex: desires father due to penis envy, never gets penis so replaces w/ baby, resolved by identifying with mother
9
Q
Diamond and Sigmundson (1997)
3
A
- ‘children cannot be socialised to be a certain sex’
- Bruce to Brenda after circumcision accident
- Conlusion: the effect of chromosomes outweighed the attempt to socialise him as a girl
10
Q
Diamond and Sigmundson evaluation
A
- Small sample so cannot generalise, Bruce may have been an exception
- Cannot control key variables, such as male twin to imitate and not socialised as female from birth
- May have been a biased interpretation
11
Q
Equal opportunities
A
(S+G AoR)
If one sex has a natural advantage (eg females at writing), then positive discrimination can be used to aid the weaker sex
