Gender & Sex Flashcards
(17 cards)
Define sex
Biological difference between males and females, including hormones, chromosomes and anatomy
Define gender
Psychological and cultural differences between males and females including attitudes, behaviours + social roles –> influenced by social nor s and cultural expectations
Define gender identity dysphoria
When a person’s biological sex does not reflect their gender identity and how they feel inside
Define sex role stereotyping
Set of beliefs and preconceived ideas about what is expected or appropriate for males or females in a given society
Outline study into sex role stereotyping
Bin et al (1977)
Aim - to find out if new parents stereotyped their babies
Method - parents were asked to describe their new babies within 24 hrs of their birth
Results - found parents of baby boys moe likely to describe them as alert + strong whilst parents of girls describe them soft and delicate
Conclusion - parents stereotype their children from an early stage despite no stereotypical behaviour being shown
Define androgyny
A flexible gender role displaying a balance of both masculine and feminine traits
How did Bem measure androgyny?
BSRI (Bem’s sex role inventory)
‐ defining masculinity + femininity was based on outdated stereotypical traits
- questionnaire used to measure androgyny
- used rating scale of 60 traits (20 feminine, 20 masculine, 20 neutral) to producescores across two dimensions: masculine–> feminine and androgynous –> undifferentiated
Describe results from Bem’s research into androgyny
~ found masculinity + femininity are independent traits not linked to sex
~ found more people were androgynous than at extremes of masculine or feminine
~ androgynous people were most psychologically healthy
Give strengths of Bem’s research
Research support —> overall measured 561 males + 356 females; found most males were sex typed as masculine and females as feminine (34% males, 27% females were androgynous)
Reliable —> produced similar results when repeated with same samples; good test-retest reliability (+0.9)
Quantative data —> can be easily analysed + draw comparisons; more objective
Give weaknesses of Bem’s research
Lack of temporal validity —> based on traits assessed as desirable for men + women in the 70s, limited validity as a measure of gender in all societies at all times; some traits are outdated as in 2001 groups of ppts couldn’t agree o. Fem/masc adjectives
Self-report techniques —> relies on individual having insight onto their behaviour and personality; respondsnts may also lie or exaggerate answers (reduced as answers are confidential)
Describe chromosomes
Made from DNA; genes determine levels of hormones
- also carry genetic info (genotypes) + physical/behavioural (phenotype)
How do chromosomes determine sex?
XX female, XY male
~ eggs produced by ovaries have X chromosome, sperms can carry either X or Y
~ in first few weeks after conception no structural differences between m/f embryos
~ Y chromosome carries SRY gene (sex determining region) –> cause testes to develop in XY embryos; testes produce androgens (male sex hormones) causing embryos to become male; without these, develops into a female
Describe how hormones influence gender
• in the womb hormones act upon brain development + cause reproductive organs to develop
• in puberty burst of hormonal activity causes secondary sexual characteristics develop
- males and females produce many of same hormones in different amounts
What is testosterone and how does it influence gender?
- controls development of male sex organs –> produced ~ 8 weeks in foetal development
- research has shown testosterone can be linked with wggression –> Nanne Van de Poll et al found female rats injected with testosterone became more physically and sexaully aggressive
What is oestrogen and how does it influence gender?
- determines female sexual characteristics and menstruation
- causes physical changes as well as behavioural/emotional ‐-> some women experience PMT: heightened emotionally and irritability
What is oxytocin and how does it influence gender?
- hormone stimulating lactation, allowing breastfeeding
- produced in larger amounts by women, particularly after giving birth
- reduces stress hormone cortisol and facilitates bonding –> released in large quantities during labour and after birth
Give evaluation points for role of chromosomes and hormones
Resear ch support Van Beijsterveld collected gender data from 8000 twins over longitudinal study
- found concordance rates of cross gender behaviour was higher in MZ than DZ
- suggested 70% of gender variance is due to genetic factors + atypical gender development is heritable
-also found girls with female twins more likely to show cross gender behaviour than girls with male twins, contradicting SLT and shows biology has a stronger influence
Animal research shows when female rats were given a drug stopping oxytocin and oestrogen production, they stopped displaying caring behaviour for babies
- castrated male mice reduced aggressive biting behaviour, returned when given testosterone
- supports idea of hormonal changes resulting in changes to sex typed behaviour BUT humans more complex emotional + social constructs than mice which influence gender; may tell us little about gender development in humans
Contradictory research
- Trichler found no difference in aggression between 43 males injected with testosterone and placebo group
- Slabbekoorn also found sex hormones had no consistent effects on gender related behaviour
