Atypical Gender Development Flashcards
What is gender dysphoria?
A small minority of males and females experience a mismatch between their biological sex and the sex they feel they are - identifying more with the opposite gender
What is brain sex theory?
GD is caused by specific brain studies that are incompatible with their chromosomal gender. Ning Zhou studied the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis which is assumed to be fully developed at age 5 and 40% larger in males. In post-mortem studies of male-to-female transgender individuals, the BST was found to be the female size.
How do genetic factors influence atypical gender development?
Evidence suggests that GD has a genetic basis. Coolidge assessed 157 twin pairs for evidence of GD. The prevalence of GD was estimated to be 2.3% with 62% of cases to be accounted for by genetic variance. This suggests a strong heritable component.
What are the two social-psychological explanations for atypical gender development?
Psychoanalytic theory and the cognitive explanation.
What is the psychoanalytic theory?
Ovesey and Person argued that GD is caused in biological males by the child experiencing extreme separation anxiety before gender identity has been established. The child fantasises of a symbiotic fusion with their mother to relieve the anxiety, and the danger of separations removed. The consequence is that the child develops the mother’s GI. This is supported by the fact that transgender male-to-female tend to have an overly close relationship with their mothers.
What is the cognitive explanation?
Liben and Bigler suggest the dual pathway theory. The first pathway acknowledges normal development which direct gender-appropriate attitudes and behaviour as part of normal development. The second personal pathway is that the child’s gender attitudes are affected by activities. Personal interests become stronger than gender identity - overcoming gender schema. In many people this leads to androgyny and in others to gender dysphoria.
What is the evaluation - contradictory evidence for BSTc?
It is claimed that the BSTc is fully formed by 5 so any hormone treatment that’s part of gender reassignment shouldn’t have a bearing on the BSTc. Hulshoff found that transgender hormone therapy did affect the size of the BSTc - so Ning Zhou’s findings may be more due to hormone therapy than a cause of GD.
What is the evaluation - Twin studies are inconclusive?
Although evidence suggests GD is hereditary, findings are inconclusive. Aside from the fact that concordance rates are not high, it is difficult to separate nature and nurture in these investigations. Twins have a very similar environment and their environmental conditions are likely to be very similar. The sample size is also very small.
What is the evaluation - Oversimplification?
Biological explanations reduce this to a single genetic component, whereas other contributory factors occurring at a higher psychological or social level may be obscured or ignored. An interactionist approach may be best for GD.
