Biological Explanations of Gender Flashcards
How can gender differences be explained in terms of?
Differences in chromosomes and hormones
What is Klinefelters syndrome caused by?
An extra X chromosome
What are some of the psychological and physical effects?
Poor language skills, passive and shy, lacking in ambition
less body hair than normal male, infertile, underdeveloped genitals
What is Turner’s syndrome caused by?
Absence of an X chromosome
What are some of the psychological and physical effects?
higher than average reading ability, difficulties with social adjustment and relationships with peers
ovaries fail to develop, no secondary sexual characteristics
Why are people with atypical chromosome patterns studied?
The atypical patterns are shown to have an effect on both physical and psychological characteristics so it shows the effect of sex chromosomes on their gender related behaviour
How could the environment be used for explanations into the different behaviours?
As they look differently and a are treated differently it may be the environment that influences gender related behaviour
What is the case study investigating the role of sex chromosomes on gender development?
Imperato and McGinley
Bruce Reimer
Outline Imperato and McGinley’s study.
Aim- Studied 38 boys from the Dominican Republic. Wanted to investigate how the group of boys responded to their biological male identity after being raised as and believed themselves to be female
Method- Boys had a rare genetic abnormality which caused them to look like females until puberty where testosterone cause a change in appearance. The boys and their families were interviewed
Results- The boys had no problem adapting to their male identity and assumed the traditional male role
Conclusions- The boys shed their female role with no harmful psychological effects, showing being biologically male can override years of socialisation as a female, illustrating the importance of biological sex in gender identity
Outline the Bruce Reimer case study.
Aim- To investigate the theory of gender neutrality and a child can be socialised into a different gender
Method- Bruce lost his penis during an operation as a child. His parents were advised to raise him as a girl and he was then given gender reassignment surgery and oestrogen.
Results- Even though he was socialised as a female for many years Bruce reverted to his male identity
Conclusion- Suggests that biological influences have a strong influence on gender related beahviour as they overrode years of socialisation
What is a strength of the two case studies?
They both support the idea that chromosomes influence gender related behaviour so it is more likely to be correct.
Why is retrospective data in the Imperato and McGinley study a weakness?
May not have been recalled correctly
What is the main issue with case studies?
Not generalisable
Why are hormones believed to influence gender related behaviour?
Male and female foetuses produce different amounts of hormones which could imply the brains develop differently which is why we see psychological differences in males and females
How are the psychological effects of testosterone shown in CAH?
Causes increased level of male hormones.
Females with the condition have higher agression, prefer male toys and have superior spatial awareness like males.
What does the condition suggest about the effect of testosterone on gender related behaviour?
Even in females the influence of testosterone causes them to behave in masculine ways showing that it influences gender related behaviour
Outline Dabbs study into the effects of testosterone on gender related behaviour.
Aim- To investigate the link between testosterone and the type of crime committed
Method- Took saliva samples of 700 male prisoners to measure testosterone levels and then compared to the type of crime committed
Results- Those with high testosterone levels were more likely to have committed crimes involving violence than men with lower levels.
Conclusion- Testosterone can be linked to aggressive behaviour and thus masculinity
How does Tricker’s evidence conflict Dabbs’?
Gave adult males testosterone or a placebo and their aggression was reported by them and those they lived with. Over 10 weeks there was no difference in aggression. It suggests that testosterone does not effect aggressiveness in adult males and thus masculinity
Why are cause and effect issues a weakness?
Increased levels of testosterone may be the consequence of aggressive behaviour rather than the cause
Why is being reductionist a weakness?
It is oversimplistic by explaining gender related behaviour in chemicals and there are likely to be other factors influencing it
Why is ignoring other factors a weakness and pessimistic?
It suggests that biology is the sole determinant of gender related behaviour and there is nothing we can do to change it and it is oversimplistic
How is oestrogen said to influence behaviour?
lead to irritability, emotional and aggression suggesting female hormones influence behaviour which could influence gender
Outline Hampson and Kimura’s study into the effect of female hormones on gender related behaviour.
Aim- to investigate the fluctuation of oestrogen and progesterone that occur during the woman’s menstrual cycle
Results-Found that when hormone levels were high women performed better in fine motor tasks and worse in visual spatial tasks compared to when levels were low.
(Evaluation) Why is supporting evidence e.g. Bruce Reimer a strength?
More evidence more likely to be correct
(Evaluation) Why is conflicting evidence e.g. Tricker a weakness?
suggests other factors have an influence on gender not just biology, it makes it less valid
(Evaluation) Why is being too reductionist a weakness?
Explaining complex gender behaviour in terms of chemicals makes it too simplistic and lacking in face validity
(Evaluation) Why is the theory described as too deterministic and why is it a weakness?
At conception your gender is determined and you have no free will in your gender related behaviours
(Evaluation) Why is more people identifying as androgynous a weakness?
They have the same patterns of sex chromosomes and hormones as their ancestors so if biology was the only influence in gender related behaviour we should not see this new trend
