Atypical Gender Development

Question 1

What is Gender identity disorder/Atypical gender development?

Answer 1

Gender identity disorder is an abnormal condition which involves a persons biological sex and their biological characteristics do not match with the gender identity they identify with.

Question 2

Why does the more recent DSM-5 classify gender identity disorder as gender dysphoria?

Answer 2

This is to remove the damaging label of people with the condition as ‘disordered’.

Question 3

What biological explanations are there for atypical gender development?

Answer 3

• Genetic explanation
• Hormonal explanation
• Brain sex theory

Question 4

Outline the genetic explanation for atypical gender development

Answer 4

• Variations fo the androgen gene receptors are present and it affects the development of the embryo in the womb.
• The variant of the gene causes abnormal amounts of testosterone to be secreted which will affect the role of testosterone when it is involved with masculinisation of the brain.

Question 5

Outline the hormonal explanation for atypical gender development

Answer 5

• testosterone will surge at specific times during the third month of pre natal development when the gonads develop into testes if The SRY gene is present in the embryo and it will be if it contains a Y chromosome.
• they must occur at the right times and at the right amounts in order for masculinisation of an infant to develop if not this can lead to GID.
• The abnormal surges of testosterone can occur if the mothers endocrine system is damaged, maternal stress or a illness that interferes with hormone levels.
• A similar process occurs with females but with oestrogen.

Question 6

Outline the brain sex theory

Answer 6

• This theory is based on the idea that male and female brains are physically different and that people with GID also have different brains
• The BSTc (bed nucleus of the stria terminus) is an area of the brain located in the hypothalamus. It is twice as large in heterosexual males compared to heterosexual females.
• It is thought that the size of the BSTc correlates with proffered sex. Therefore a Male with GID will have a BSTc the size of a heterosexual female BSTc and vice versa.

Question 7

Outline the social explanations for gender development?

Answer 7

• Social learning

- operant conditioning

Question 8

How does learning theory suggest Atypical gender development occurs?

Answer 8

• Children learn to develop GID who are reinforced and rewarded for cross gender behaviour are more likely going to repeat the same behaviours and will not be punished for it. This will cause confusion of their gender identity and lead to GID.
• Social learning theory can also cause someone to develop GID.

Question 9

AO3 for GID biological explanations

Answer 9

• Heylens (Genetic Twin studies)(39% MZ twins compared to 0% DZ twins)
• Gladue (No hormonal differences between GID males and heterosexual males)

Question 10

AO3 for Social explanations for atypical gender development

Answer 10

• Reckers (lack of stereotypical male models was found to be the main cause of GID in 70 boys)
• Heylens (MZ twins in twin studies were not at 100 percent concordance rates which shows us there are social factors and that we should use interactionist approach)