Biosocial approach (to gender differences)
The theory that gender identification and behavior are based in part on people’s innate biological differences
Capitalism
An economic system in which goods and services are privately produced and sold on a market for profit
Gender
The social and cultural characteristics that distinguish women and men in a society
Gestation
The nine-month development of the fetus inside the mother’s uterus
Interactionist approach (to gender differences)
The theory that gender identification and behavior are based on the day-to-day behavior that reinforces gender distinctions
Intersexual
A person who is born with ambiguous sexual organs
Masculinity
The set of personal characteristics that society defines as being typical of men
Patriarchy
A social order based on the domination of women by men, especially in agricultural societies
Patrilocal
A kinship system in which newly married couples live with the husband’s parents
Peer group
A group of people who have roughly the same age and status as one another
Sex
The biological characteristics that distinguish men and women
Socialism
An economic system in which the number and types of goods produced, and who they are distributed to, are decided by the government rather than the actions of a market (as in Capitalism)
Socialization
The processes by which we learn the ways of a given society or social group so as to adequately participate in it
Socialization approach (to gender differences)
The theory that gender identification and behavior are based on children’s learning that they will be rewarded for the set of behaviors considered appropriate to their sex but not for those appropriate to the other sex
Two-spirit people
In Native American societies, men or women who dressed like, performed the duties of, and behaved like a member of the opposite sex