Lecture 2 Flashcards
Bio and Psych Explanations of Gender (13 cards)
What are the biological constructions of sex (2)
Differences are due to our anatomy (1) appear to be based on ‘objective scientific facts’ and (2) they accord with our own observations
Four main bio explanations of sex differences
- Darwinism and evolutionary bio
- Social Darwinism
- Sociobiology
- Evolutionary Psychology
Explain Darwinism and Evolutionary Biology
law of natural selection, those who adapt well to the environment successfully reproduce and pass on their genes to nest gen, males and females evolved for dif. functions which parallels evolution produced gender roles, natural ‘birthright’
Explain Social Darwinism
adopted ideas of natural selection not only for sexes but also races, nations and families. sexual difference is linked to the inevitability of gender inequality, women evolved to be inferior
Explain Sociobiology
studies biological basis of social behavior, all creatures obey biological principles, all temperamental differences derive from the biological development of creatures based on pressures from evolutionary selection, men want to maximize reproductive rights so promiscuity among men and monogamy among women.
Evolutionary Psychology
explains psych traits as evolutionary adaptations, men are aggressive and controlling- hunting and fighting, women are nurturing and emotional- caregiving and domestic working
Psychological Constructions of gender (2)
- differences anatomically lead them to different personalities
- observed differences are due to different experiences from infancy onward, especially through socialization in the family
3 Main psychological explanations of gender differences
- Psychosocial development theory (freud)
- Sex Role theory (terman, miles and bem)
- Cognitive Development theory ( Kohlberg)
(1) Psychosocial Dev Theory
- each ind goes through a number of stages on their path to adult gender identity
- the two stages; composition of the psych and the realities of life
- id (desire to satisfy basic needs) ego (rational and problem solving) superego (seat of morality)
1. gender and sex can be separated from biological inevitability
2. gender identity and sexual orientation are linked (anal, oral, genital stages etc.)
3. traditional gender stereotypes are the hallmark of healthy gender development (boys being sexual initiators, girls being sexually passive)
Sex Role Theory- Terman and Miles
- Terman and Miles tried to codify masc. and fem. into components such as traits, attitudes and behaviors (M-F Test)
- this test looked at gendered knowledge, feelings, occupations, people and self reports
- if a child exhibited the gendered appropriate answers on the test then they were assumed to be developing ‘normally’ in gender terms
(2) Sex Role Theory
- analyzes ind’s socialization into ‘appropriate’ gender roles and identities
- Terman and Miles (M-F Test)
- Bem (BSRI Test)
Sex Role Theory -Bem
- Bem tried to examine the content of sex roles using the BSRI Test where adults were tested on their perceptions of feminine, masculine and neutral attributes
- turned into the gender schema theory where identity becomes the basis of inds. schemas of gender
- most well-adjusted inds had a combined presence of socially calueld, stereotypic fem and masc characteristics (androgyny)
(3) Cognitive Development Theory
- children are born more or less gender neutral, so no important bio differences between boys and girls at birth explain later gender differences
- as children grow, they process new info through cognitive filters that help them understand gender more
- two dev. task of early childhood din order to learn gender roles and identities (1) at 2 years of age, label themselves girl or boy, self-identification is fixed, cognitive decision. (2) 6 years of age, develop gender constancy, idea that gender is permanent and unchanging, look at appropriate/inappropriate behaviors for each gender (boy with purse, girl changing tire)
