Atypical Gender Development

Question 1

Define gender dysphoria

Answer 1

Occurs when individuals experience a mismatch between their biological sex and the gender they feel they are, resulting in stress + discomfort

Question 2

Outline brain sex theory

Answer 2

~ looks at BSTc, a dimporphic brain structure found to be larger in men in women
~ also smaller in female transgender people + has similar neuron number
= suggests people with gender dysphoria have a BST the size of their identified gender

Question 3

Outline genetic theory into gender dysphoria

Answer 3

~ studies have found high concordance rates between MZ twins for gender dysphoria, suggesting it is a heritable
~ e.g.Van Beijstervoldt collected data of 800 twins; 70% of variance in gender identity due to genetic factors; also found girls with female cotwin more likely to show cross gender behaviour than male, contradicting the SLT

Question 4

Give strengths of biological explanations for gender dysphoria

Answer 4

Empirical evidence to support such as twin studies and brain scans
Other brain differences have been found in sexually dimorphic areas of the brain, study looked at amount of white matter in m and mtf people before hormone treatment, found amount and sitribution more closely corresponded with identified gender rather than biological sex

Question 5

Give limitations for biological explanations of gender dysphoria

Answer 5

Chung et al found differences in BSTc volume don’t emerge until adulthood whilst most people with GD experience it from early childhood, suggesting differences in BSTc may simply be an effect not a cause
Issues with twin studies —> do not have very high concordance rates (39%) and difficult to separate the influence of nature and nurture within studies

Question 6

Outline social constructionism theory on gender dysphoria

Answer 6

Argues concepts of gender identity are invented by societies; gender dysphoria arises as society forces people to be either a man or woman; gender dysphoria = social phenomenon

Question 7

Outline psychoanalytic theory of gender dysphoria

Answer 7

Emphasises social relationships within family; argue that GD in biological makes is caused by boy experiencing extreme separation anxiety before gender identity is established
- boy fantasises of ‘fusing’ with mother to relieve anxiety, adopts mothers gender identity

Question 8

Give strengths of social-psychological explanations for gender dysphoria

Answer 8

Real world evidence —> some cultures have more than two genders e.g the Sambia in New Guinea also recognise ´female-then-males’
- challenges traditional binary classification, suggesting gender identity + dysphoria is a social construction rather than biological
Zuker research support —> interviewed mothers of 115 mtf children assessing levels of separation anxiety; found children who fit criteria for GD were more likely to have experienced separation anxiety

Question 9

Give limitations of social-psychological explanations of gender dysphoria

Answer 9

Focus on biological males —> psychoanalytic theory does not provide adequate account of GD in biological females as it focuses on transgender women; other research suggests GD in those AMAB more likely associated with absence of father
Unfalsifiable as revolves around unconscious - repressed fantasy of fusing with mother cannot be directly measured or observed