Biosocial Explanation

Question 1

What does the biosocial approach do?

Answer 1

Combine biological and social influenced to explain how gender role behaviour develops

Question 2

What is the main principle behind the social constructionist theory?

Answer 2

That their are further subdivisions within male and female e.g camp men and butch women

Question 3

In western society, how is the idea of gender constructed?

Answer 3

By dividing people into two categories based on their biological sex - male and female

Question 4

What are some examples of further subdivisions within male and female categories?

Answer 4

Some men are more feminine e.g camp men and some women are more masculine e.g butch women

Question 5

What are differences in gender development a result of according to the social constructionist theory?

Answer 5

Differences in social influences such as geography, cultural and social structures and norms, local traditions and attitudes towards gender.

Question 6

How are social influences then transmitted to children?

Answer 6

Through their parents as role models

Question 7

What are the two biosocial explanations?

Answer 7

Social constructionist theory

Social role theory

Question 8

What is the social role theory an expansion of?

Answer 8

Evolutionary theory of gender development

Question 9

What is the main principle behind the social role theory?

Answer 9

That gender role is driven by biological differences between sexes and strengthened by socialisation

Question 10

Why is a male the hunter?

Answer 10

Because they are biologically stronger

Question 11

What is the typical role of a man in a pre-industrialised society?

Answer 11

A hunter

Question 12

What is the traditional role of a woman?

Answer 12

Home maker

Question 13

Why is the women the home maker?

Answer 13

She has oestrogen which makes her more nurturing and she is less successful at hunting whilst pregnant

Question 14

What is the social role theory an expansion of?

Answer 14

Evolutionary theory of gender development

Question 15

What is the main principle behind the social role theory?

Answer 15

That gender role is driven by biological differences between sexes and strengthened by socialisation

Question 16

When may gender dysphoria occur?

Answer 16

When biological and social factors interact

Question 17

What is a biological factor which may cause gender dysphoria?

Answer 17

A difference in brain structure may pre-dispose a child to gender dysphoria

Question 18

What difference in brain structure may pre-dispose a child to gender dysphoria?

Answer 18

The size of the BSTc (the bed nucleus of the stria terminal is central subdivision) may be abnormal

Question 19

What does the BSTc stand for?

Answer 19

The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis central division

Question 20

Where is the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis central subdivision located?

Answer 20

In the hypothalamus

Question 21

At what age is the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis central subdivision fully developed?

Answer 21

Age 5

Question 22

What does the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis central subdivision do?

Answer 22

Influence sexual behaviour

Question 23

What size is the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis central subdivision?

Answer 23

It is different sizes in men and women

Question 24

How may the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis central subdivision lead children being predisposed to gender dysphoria?

Answer 24

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

Question 25

How may family influences work alongside biological factors to cause gender dysphoria?

Answer 25

They may enhance the biological factor and produce an increase in unhappiness with their own sex

Question 26

What are the different family influences in relation to gender dysphoria?

Answer 26

Lack of same sex role model
A child of the opposite sex may be preferred
A more feminine/masculine behaviour may be encouraged/discouraged

Question 27

How may a child of the opposite sex being favoured cause gender dysphoria?

Answer 27

The child wants to be liked like the other child in turn they display behaviour which opposes their actual gender.

Question 28

What research is relevant to gender dysphoria?

Answer 28

Reker

Zhou et al

Question 29

What were Reker’s findings?

Answer 29

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

Question 30

How do Reker’s findings support the biological explanation of gender dysphoria?

Answer 30

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.

Question 31

What were Zhou et al’s findings?

Answer 31

It was revealed in post-mortems that the BSTc was the same size in six male to female transsexuals as in heterosexual women

Question 32

What contradicts Zhou et als findings?

Answer 32

Hulshoff Pol et al

Question 33

What did Hulshoff Pol et al discover?

Answer 33

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

Question 34

What commentary is associated with gender dysphoria?

Answer 34

The Lakota tribe.

Definitions of ‘male’ and ‘female’

Question 35

Explain the Lakota tribe…

Answer 35

They have choices available other than just ‘male’ and ‘female’. They can make choices which enable them to mix masculine and feminine behaviour

Question 36

Explain the definitions of male and female in relation to gender dysphoria commentary…

Answer 36

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

Question 37

What debates are associated with the biosocial approach?

Answer 37

Nature/nurture

Question 38

Explain the nature/nurture debate…

Answer 38

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.

Question 39

What debates are associated with gender dysphoria?

Answer 39

Ethical issues

Socially sensitive

Question 40

What are the ethical issues surrounding the gender dysphoria theory?

Answer 40

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.

Question 41

Explain the socially sensitive debate in relation to gender dysphoria…

Answer 41

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.