Gender

Question 1

Androgyny - A01

Answer 1

• Androgyny is the term that refers to displaying a balance of masculine and feminine characteristics in one’s personality
• Personality type that is a mixture/balance of masculine and feminine traits
• Ben suggested that high androgyny is associated with psychological well-being as individuals who are equally feminine and masculine are better equipped to adapt to a range of situations as they have a large variety of traits to draw from
• An over-representation of opposite-sex characteristics does not qualify as androgynous
• We can measure androgyny with Bem’s Sex Role Inventory (BSRI)
• The BSRI scale presents 20 masculine characteristics (eg. aggression, competitive), 20 feminine characteristics (gentle, affectionate). and 20 neutral characteristics (truthful, happy). Respondents rate themselves on a scale (1-7) for each item, then calculate their scores, which catergorises them as feminine, masculine, androgynous, or undifferentiated.

Question 2

Androgyny - A03

Answer 2

Strength: Quantitative Data
Bem’s work on gender identity is measures quantitatively, making it useful for research purposes, eg. quantifying a dependent variable in a study.
- Janet Spence (1984) argued that there is more to gender identity than a set of behaviours specific to one gender, so qualitative methods are often better for analysing data.
- We can also combine different scales, such as the Personal attribute questionnaire, that adds dimensions of expressivity and instrumentality to Bem’s masculinity-femininity dimension.
- Suggests that both qualitative and quantitive approaches can be useful for studying different aspects of gender identity.

Strength - Valid and Reliable
The BSRI appeared to be a valid and reliable way to measure androgyny around the time is was developed. The scale was developed by asking 50 males and 50 females to rate 200 traits in how much they represented ‘maleness’ and ‘femaleness’. The traits that scored the highest in each became the 20 traits used for each gender in the scale. The BSRI was also piloted with over 1000 students and it was found that their results corresponded with their own descriptions of their gender identity, demonstrating validity. Additionally, a smaller follow-up study showed similar results.
However, the BSRI was developed over 40 years ago, meaning it lacks temporal validity as the gender-associated traits have evolved and there are less stereotypes now.

Limitation - Self Awareness
People doing the test may not have insight into their own gender identity or personality, so when asking people to rate themselves on a questionnaire relies on them having good understandings of their behaviour and personality. Gender is a social construct and is therefore more open to interpretation. People self-assessing is also subjective so and potentially leads to potential biases as well as lacks of understanding. This suggests that the BSRI is not an objective, scientific way to measure gender identity.

Question 3

The Role of Chromosones and Hormones (Chromosones) (A01)

Answer 3

The Role of Chromosones in Sex and Gender
- Chromosones are made from DNA, genes are short strands of DNA, there are 46 chromosones in the body, arranged into 23 pairs. the 23rd pair determines biological sex. - Females’’ chromosone structure is XX, males is XY, the sperm cell carries the deciding X or Y chromosone that determines a baby’s sex.

Question 4

The Role of Chromosones and Hormones (Hormones) (A01)

Answer 4

• hormones influence gender development, developing the brain and the reproductive organs.
• during puberty, a burst of hormones triggers the development of secondary sexual characteristics.
• males and females produce the same hormones in different concentrations
  Testosterone
• male hormone that causes male reproductive organs and sexual characteristics
• if a genetically female feotus is exposed to lots of testosterone, they may also develop male sexual characteristics or reproductive organs
• high testosterone levels also link to aggression, as males primarily need to be aggressive in order to attract females to mate and hunt to provide for family
  Oestrogen
• hormone that develops female sexual characteristics and menstruation (physical changes and high emotions)
• females’ high emotions and irritability can be diagnosed as PMS or PMI, however, researchers have dis-credited it as a diagnosis as it has helped women get out of criminal charges.
  Oxytocin
• women typically produce more oxytocin especially after giving birth, as it stimulates lactation which makes breastfeeding possible.
• it also reduces cortisol and facilitates bonding, making it known as the ‘love hormone’
• it is released in mass during labour causing mothers to fall in love with their babies
• the gender difference has fueled the stereotype that men are less intimate and loving.
• evidence suggests that high levels of oxytocin are released for both males and females during sex and kissing.

Question 5

The Role of Chromosones and Hormones (Chromosones) (A03)

Question 6

Atypical Chromosome Patterns (A01)

Question 7

Atypical Chromosome Patterns (A03)

Question 8

Cognitive Explanations - Kohlberg’s Theory (A01)

Question 9

Cognitive Explanations - Kohlberg’s Theory (A03)

Question 10

Cognitive Explanation - Gender Schema Theory (A01)

Question 11

Cognitive Explanation - Gender Schema Theory (A03)

Question 12

Psychodynamic Explanation of Gender Development (A01)

Question 13

Psychodynamic Explanation of Gender Development (A03)

Question 14

Social Learning Explanation of Gender Development (A01)

Question 15

Social Learning Explanation of Gender Development (A03)

Question 16

Influence of Culture and Media on Gender Roles (Culture) (A01)

Question 17

Influence of Culture and Media on Gender Roles (Culture) (A03)

Question 18

Influence of Culture and Media on Gender Roles (Media) (A01)

Question 19

Influence of Culture and Media on Gender Roles (Media) (A03)

Question 20

Atypical Gender Development - Biological (A01)

Question 21

Atypical Gender Development - Biological (A03)

Question 22

Atypical Gender Development - Social (A01)

Question 23

Atypical Gender Development - Social (A03)