Sex and gender

Question 1

Definition of sex

Answer 1

Sex = a biological status (male or female)

Question 2

Definition of gender

Answer 2

A learned or cultural status (masculine/feminine)

Question 3

What determines gender?

Answer 3

Gender is thought to be determined by: prenatal hormones to male or female genitalia to parents assigning and raising of child as male or female to gender identity

Question 4

What is a DSD?

Answer 4

Disorder of Sexual Development (DSD) = ambiguous anatomy of the genitalia which is not standard for male or female. Therefore, the child may grow up conforming to their opposite sex. Child usually decides their gender during puberty, should not be assigned at birth.

Question 5

How can gender roles be shaped?

Answer 5

Family, peers (encourage segregation, prejudice against opposite sex and difference), school (teacher behaviour), media (books, magazines, TV) and toys.

Question 6

What are do children have a gender identity? (who is a boy, who is a girl)

Answer 6

2-3 years

Question 7

Around what age is gender stability of a child? (when you grow up you will remain that gender)

Answer 7

4 years

Question 8

What age does gender constancy occur? (a boy cannot become a girl by wearing a dress)

Answer 8

4-5 years

Question 9

Social learning theory - who came up with it and what is it?

Answer 9

(Bandura) -Child gets punished for imitating opposite sex-like behaviour and rewarding for imitating same sex-like behaviour to child conforms to assigned gender to gender identity

Question 10

Cognitive developmental theory

Answer 10

Cognitive developmental theory (Piaget) = child starts with a gender identity to adopts that behaviour

Question 11

What are parental influences on gender identity?

Answer 11

As role models
Through parent child interactions
Gender appropriate toys and activities

Question 12

Gender and cognitive abilities- what are they?

Answer 12

Similarities- general intelligence, learning and memory and complex cognitive tasks

Differences- maths, verbal and spatial ability

Question 13

What are the social explanations for why boys and girls are different?

Answer 13

Boys experience more maths at school, more attention from male teachers
Attitudes- parental reactions to maths, parental bolstering of self-competence
Parents encourage boys to be confident but girls to be cautious.

Question 14

The gender similarities hypothesis

Answer 14

• meta-synthesis (reviews of reviews)- males and female are similar on most but not all, psychological variables
• maths- no difference
• verbal skills- small and varies depending on type of skill assessed
• spatial ability- 3D mental rotation shows a moderate advantage for males
• differences model sustains stereotypes

Question 15

Gender differences in psychological health

Answer 15

• substance dependency-men five times more likely to be treated
• depression twice more likely for women
• eating disorders- ten times more likely for women