Atypical Sex Chromosones Flashcards
which two syndromes can atypical sex chromosones result in
atypical sex chromosones can result in klinefelters syndrome for males and turners syndrome for females
what genotype is klinefelter syndrome characterised by
klinefelter syndrome is characterised by an XXY genotype. due to an aditional X chromosone, sufferers display characteristics similar to that of a female such as soft facial features and the devlopment of breasts.
what are the psychological symptoms of klinefelter syndrome
the psychological symptoms are also negative as sufferers achieve lower than average scores on tests and are generally clumsy
what genotype results in turners syndrome
turners syndrome results in a genotype of XO. due to the absence of another X chromosone, females develop facial and physical characteristics similar to that of a male, eg broad shoulders and lack of a menstrual cycle.
what are the psychological symptoms of turners syndrome
the psychological and cognitive factors can be positive as sufferers often display highly advanced reading skills.
AO3:
how have understandings of klinefelter and turners syndrome contributed to practical applications
an improved understanding of the biological basis of gender and klinefelter and turners syndrome has led to highly effective treatments for both. this includes human growth hormones that can be given during puberty that can alleviate some of the associated symptoms
explain what study supports the importance of treatment for individuals with klinefelter syndrome
a study done on individuals with klinefelter syndrome found that those treated from a young age experienced significant benefits compared to those diagnosed in adulthood. therefore, these findings have had major practical applications which can improve the quality of life for sufferers with the syndromes.
AO3 biological determinism: money
Money & Erhardt (1972) claimed only sex rearing determined gender
Money advised parents to raise intersex children however they liked, regardless of their genetics/hormones. He completed a famous case study - the “John/Joan” study on a child called David Reimer. It was unsuccessful, suggesting gender is biologically determined.
what was the study on david reimer that suggests gender is biologically determined
David’s parents brought him up as a girl .However, Brenda as he was named was suffering from severe psychological and emotional difficulties and in her teens, when she found out what had happened, she reverted back to being a boy.
This case study supports the influence of testosterone on gender development as it shows that David’s brain development was influenced by the presence of this hormone and its effects on gender identity was stronger that the influence of social factors.
alternative explanations of gender development
however, biological explanations ignore other factors such as individual differences and the environment. for example, Freudian theories use the concepts of internalisation and identification as an explanation of gender development
what did freud suggest about gender
freud suggested that gender was independent of biology because it is internalised at the phallic stage through identifying with the same-sex parent
oedipus complex
Occurs during the phallic stage of development where the boy develops a desire for sexual involvement with his mother and in turn, causes a sense of rivalry with the parent of the same sex. The hostile feelings towards the father lead to castration anxiety. To cope with this anxiety, the son identifies with the father, meaning the son internalizes the attitudes and values of his father. Through this identification, boys acquire their superego and substitute their desire for his mother with the desire for other women. however this is gender-biased (beta) as women were rarely studied
