9: Gender and Sexual Behaviour Flashcards Preview

Biological Psychology 2 > 9: Gender and Sexual Behaviour > Flashcards

Flashcards in 9: Gender and Sexual Behaviour Deck (34)
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1
Q

What is a person’s sex?

A

How they hormonally and genitally present, both internally and externally

2
Q

What is a person’s gender?

A

Their social role and identity based on socially constructed norms, roles and relationships

3
Q

What is transgender?

A

When a person’s gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth

4
Q

What does intersex mean?

A

When a person presents as both male and female physically

Chromasomes can be XX or XY

5
Q

What is XX intersex?

A

Where they have the chromasomes of a woman but the external genitals of a male. Caused by excess male hormones before birth

6
Q

What is XY intersex?

A

Chromasomes of a man but the external genitals are incomplete or more femanine. Often malformed or absent testes and problems forming and using testoesterone

7
Q

What is the Y chromasome?

A

The chromasome that dictates male development and makes someone present as male. Without this, we would all be female

8
Q

What is the sex determining region?

A

An area found on the Y chromosome which activates the genes needed o develop the gonads and make testes

9
Q

How can colourblindness be sex linked?

A

Red-green colourblindness is found on the X chromasome so the defect is more likely to affect men who do not have a back up X chromasome to replease the faulty gene

10
Q

What is Turner’s syndrome?

A

People have a missing or altered second X chromasome meaning their overies don’t work propperly and they have reduced levels of progesterone

11
Q

What are the physical symptoms of Turner’s syndrome?

A

Short, wide neck
Puffy hands
Weak bones
Hearing issues

12
Q

What is Klinefelter’s syndrome?

A

Additional X chromasome (XXY) meaning people don#t make enough testoesterone or sperm. These issues can be helped using hormone therapy

13
Q

At which point does sex become differentiated in the foetus?

A

After 2 months

14
Q

After 2 months, what happens if the foetus has a Y chromasome?

A

The Wolffian duct develops into the male internal reproductive organs

15
Q

After 2 months, what happens if the foetus has no Y chromasome?

A

The Mullerian duct develops into the female reproductive system

16
Q

What is the role of the hypothalamus in hormones?

A

It releases gonadotropin hormones (GnRH) such as LH and FSH which is regulated by the pituitary gland

17
Q

What is the role of the pituitary gland in GnRH?

A

It reglulates their release from the hypothalamus

18
Q

What do GnRH hormones do in females?

A

Stimulate the production of estrogen

19
Q

What does LH do in men?

A

Encourages testoesterone production

20
Q

What does FSH do in men?

A

Matures sperm cells

21
Q

How is GnRH affected by melatonin and how is this linked to evolution?

A

Lower melatonin (More light) increases GnRH so offspring born around this time have a higher rate of survival

22
Q

What are sex steroid hormones?

A

Oesterogen, progesterone and testoesterone

23
Q

How do levels of testoesterone in males and females compare?

A

Women have about 10% of the levels found in men

24
Q

What is the sexually dimorphic nucleus?

A

An area of the brain that controlls behaviour, larger in men, half the size in gay men

25
Q

What is top-down arousal?

A

Psychological factors

26
Q

What is bottom up arousal?

A

Tactile factors

27
Q

What part of the nervous system controls erections?

A

The parasympathetic system

28
Q

What is released by nerve endings when someone gets an erection?

A

Acetylcholine
Vasoactive intestinal polypeptides
Nitric acid

29
Q

How does viagra affect the metabolic pathways of an erection?

A

It interfears with nitric oxide so the arteries release even more

30
Q

What areas of the brain are affected by an orgasm?

A

Decreased function in the left lateral orbitofrontal cortex which suggests behavioural disinhebition

31
Q

What is vasopressin and oxytocin?

A

Hormones increasing pair bonding

32
Q

How are vasopressin and oxytocin linked to monogamy?

A

They increase pair bonding so you get attatched to your partner. However, if you don’t have the receptors for it then the hormones have limited effects

33
Q

How does castration effect sexual behaviour?

A

50% stop showing it
25% have a gradual decline
10% unaffected

34
Q

How does a woman’s ovulation affect their attraction?

A

Women are more likely to initiate sex when they’re in their ovulatory phase so at their most fertile