1. sex and gender

Question 1

define sex

Answer 1

a person’s biological status as either male or female. This is determined by a pair of sex chromosomes (XX for females, XY for males). These chromosomes then influence hormonal differences as well as differences in anatomy, such as reproductive organs, body shape etc.

Question 2

define gender

Answer 2

a person’s psychological status as either masculine or feminine. This includes all the attitudes, roles and behaviours associated with being a man or a woman. These are heavily influenced by social norms and cultural expectations.

Question 3

Sex is innate and the result of x, whereas gender is at least partly influenced by the environment and is due to y.

Answer 3

x = nature
y= nurture

Question 4

This means that because an individual’s sex is genetic and not assigned at birth, it cannot be changed, however gender is assigned as it is not a biological fact.

why?

Answer 4

Because gender is partly determined by nurture, it is fluid and is open to change. A person may become more masculine or feminine depending on the social context they live in and the norms and expectations associated with it

Question 5

SEX ROLE STEREOTYPES

define sex role stereotypes

Answer 5

Are a set of shared expectations that people within a society or culture hold about what is acceptable or usual behaviour for men and women.

Question 6

SEX ROLE STEREOTYPES

Although some sex role stereotypes may contain truth, many do not and may lead to a sexist assumption being formed, such as the idea that

Answer 6

a woman may not be able to cope with the demands of the workplace as she may be overly emotional.

Question 7

SEX ROLE STEREOTYPES

These expectations are somehow communicated or transmitted throughout society and may be reinforced by

Answer 7

parents, peers and the media, as well as other institutions e.g. schools.

Question 8

SEX ROLE STEREOTYPES

There are several studies of studies of sex role stereotypes which can be used to support the social learning theory of gender, the view that

Answer 8

various agents of socialisation such as parents or the media sustain the stereotypical expectations that we have of men and women in society.

Question 9

AO3: support for sex role stereotypes

research support - ingalhalikar

Answer 9

Research by Ingalhalikar suggests that the popular social stereotype that women are better at multitasking than men may have some biological truth to it.
She found women have left and right hemispheres that are better connected than in men’s brains.