Biosocial Explanation Flashcards
What does the biosocial approach do?
Combine biological and social influenced to explain how gender role behaviour develops
What is the main principle behind the social constructionist theory?
That their are further subdivisions within male and female e.g camp men and butch women
In western society, how is the idea of gender constructed?
By dividing people into two categories based on their biological sex - male and female
What are some examples of further subdivisions within male and female categories?
Some men are more feminine e.g camp men and some women are more masculine e.g butch women
What are differences in gender development a result of according to the social constructionist theory?
Differences in social influences such as geography, cultural and social structures and norms, local traditions and attitudes towards gender.
How are social influences then transmitted to children?
Through their parents as role models
What are the two biosocial explanations?
Social constructionist theory
Social role theory
What is the social role theory an expansion of?
Evolutionary theory of gender development
What is the main principle behind the social role theory?
That gender role is driven by biological differences between sexes and strengthened by socialisation
Why is a male the hunter?
Because they are biologically stronger
What is the typical role of a man in a pre-industrialised society?
A hunter
What is the traditional role of a woman?
Home maker
Why is the women the home maker?
She has oestrogen which makes her more nurturing and she is less successful at hunting whilst pregnant
What is the social role theory an expansion of?
Evolutionary theory of gender development
What is the main principle behind the social role theory?
That gender role is driven by biological differences between sexes and strengthened by socialisation
When may gender dysphoria occur?
When biological and social factors interact
What is a biological factor which may cause gender dysphoria?
A difference in brain structure may pre-dispose a child to gender dysphoria
What difference in brain structure may pre-dispose a child to gender dysphoria?
The size of the BSTc (the bed nucleus of the stria terminal is central subdivision) may be abnormal
What does the BSTc stand for?
The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis central division
Where is the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis central subdivision located?
In the hypothalamus
At what age is the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis central subdivision fully developed?
Age 5
What does the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis central subdivision do?
Influence sexual behaviour
What size is the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis central subdivision?
It is different sizes in men and women
How may the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis central subdivision lead children being predisposed to gender dysphoria?
It is smaller in women than in men. If it is smaller in a male child this could lead to a desire to behave in a more female way in terms of sexual behaviour
How may family influences work alongside biological factors to cause gender dysphoria?
They may enhance the biological factor and produce an increase in unhappiness with their own sex
What are the different family influences in relation to gender dysphoria?
Lack of same sex role model
A child of the opposite sex may be preferred
A more feminine/masculine behaviour may be encouraged/discouraged
How may a child of the opposite sex being favoured cause gender dysphoria?
The child wants to be liked like the other child in turn they display behaviour which opposes their actual gender.
What research is relevant to gender dysphoria?
Reker
Zhou et al
What were Reker’s findings?
He found of the 36 boys who showed cross-gender identity 75% of the most disturbed and 21% of the least disturbed had no father fingers. In 60% of cases where there was a father figure he was described as psychologically distant
How do Reker’s findings support the biological explanation of gender dysphoria?
It supports the element of the theory which says social factors have a factor. Particularly the element which suggests a lack of same sex role model can lead to gender dysphoria because they are unable to imitate their behaviour. These findings suggests boys without a father behaved in a more feminine way suggesting they imitated their mother and now have gender dysphoria.
What were Zhou et al’s findings?
It was revealed in post-mortems that the BSTc was the same size in six male to female transsexuals as in heterosexual women
What contradicts Zhou et als findings?
Hulshoff Pol et al
What did Hulshoff Pol et al discover?
Some of the men in Zhou’s study have previously taken feminising hormones which may have caused the brain structure differences in BSTc’s, rather than if being set before the age of 5
What commentary is associated with gender dysphoria?
The Lakota tribe.
Definitions of ‘male’ and ‘female’
Explain the Lakota tribe…
They have choices available other than just ‘male’ and ‘female’. They can make choices which enable them to mix masculine and feminine behaviour
Explain the definitions of male and female in relation to gender dysphoria commentary…
Some cultures may have broader definitions of male and female are acceptable there may be less instances of gender dysphoria as it is acceptable to carry out ‘stereotypical’ female behaviours as a man. Whereas in a society with rigid structures a man may feel he needs to change his gender to behave how he wants
What debates are associated with the biosocial approach?
Nature/nurture
Explain the nature/nurture debate…
The theory is a blatant interaction of nature and nurture. It suggests that although biology or social factors could work alone they would most probably not result in gender dysphoria or gender behaviour roles.
What debates are associated with gender dysphoria?
Ethical issues
Socially sensitive
What are the ethical issues surrounding the gender dysphoria theory?
It could potentially break the BPS guidelines as it could be psychologically damaging to parents the social side of the theory claims their influence is too blame for their child’s unhappiness.
Explain the socially sensitive debate in relation to gender dysphoria…
It may lead to discrimination against same sex couples adopting a child of the opposite sex because the theory claims not having a same sex role model could lead to a child suffering from gender dysphoria. This is completely illogical which is why there is not discrimination such as thus when couples adopt.
It could also be hurtful to divorced couples in a similar way.
