Biological Explanations of Gender

Question 1

How can gender differences be explained in terms of?

Answer 1

Differences in chromosomes and hormones

Question 2

What is Klinefelters syndrome caused by?

Answer 2

An extra X chromosome

Question 3

What are some of the psychological and physical effects?

Answer 3

Poor language skills, passive and shy, lacking in ambition

less body hair than normal male, infertile, underdeveloped genitals

Question 4

What is Turner’s syndrome caused by?

Answer 4

Absence of an X chromosome

Question 5

What are some of the psychological and physical effects?

Answer 5

higher than average reading ability, difficulties with social adjustment and relationships with peers
ovaries fail to develop, no secondary sexual characteristics

Question 6

Why are people with atypical chromosome patterns studied?

Answer 6

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

Question 7

How could the environment be used for explanations into the different behaviours?

Answer 7

As they look differently and a are treated differently it may be the environment that influences gender related behaviour

Question 8

What is the case study investigating the role of sex chromosomes on gender development?

Answer 8

Imperato and McGinley

Bruce Reimer

Question 9

Outline Imperato and McGinley’s study.

Answer 9

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

Question 10

Outline the Bruce Reimer case study.

Answer 10

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

Question 11

What is a strength of the two case studies?

Answer 11

They both support the idea that chromosomes influence gender related behaviour so it is more likely to be correct.

Question 12

Why is retrospective data in the Imperato and McGinley study a weakness?

Answer 12

May not have been recalled correctly

Question 13

What is the main issue with case studies?

Answer 13

Not generalisable

Question 14

Why are hormones believed to influence gender related behaviour?

Answer 14

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

Question 15

How are the psychological effects of testosterone shown in CAH?

Answer 15

Causes increased level of male hormones.

Females with the condition have higher agression, prefer male toys and have superior spatial awareness like males.

Question 16

What does the condition suggest about the effect of testosterone on gender related behaviour?

Answer 16

Even in females the influence of testosterone causes them to behave in masculine ways showing that it influences gender related behaviour

Question 17

Outline Dabbs study into the effects of testosterone on gender related behaviour.

Answer 17

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

Question 18

How does Tricker’s evidence conflict Dabbs’?

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Why are cause and effect issues a weakness?

Answer 19

Increased levels of testosterone may be the consequence of aggressive behaviour rather than the cause

Question 20

Why is being reductionist a weakness?

Answer 20

It is oversimplistic by explaining gender related behaviour in chemicals and there are likely to be other factors influencing it

Question 21

Why is ignoring other factors a weakness and pessimistic?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

How is oestrogen said to influence behaviour?

Answer 22

lead to irritability, emotional and aggression suggesting female hormones influence behaviour which could influence gender

Question 23

Outline Hampson and Kimura’s study into the effect of female hormones on gender related behaviour.

Answer 23

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.

Question 24

(Evaluation) Why is supporting evidence e.g. Bruce Reimer a strength?

Answer 24

More evidence more likely to be correct

Question 25

(Evaluation) Why is conflicting evidence e.g. Tricker a weakness?

Answer 25

suggests other factors have an influence on gender not just biology, it makes it less valid

Question 26

(Evaluation) Why is being too reductionist a weakness?

Answer 26

Explaining complex gender behaviour in terms of chemicals makes it too simplistic and lacking in face validity

Question 27

(Evaluation) Why is the theory described as too deterministic and why is it a weakness?

Answer 27

At conception your gender is determined and you have no free will in your gender related behaviours

Question 28

(Evaluation) Why is more people identifying as androgynous a weakness?

Answer 28

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