Estimating Sex Flashcards
What is sex based on?
chromosomes and sex hormone proportions
What is gender based on?
socially prescribed and perceived identities
Can you estimate gender from a skeleton?
No!
Sexual Dimorphism
physical differences between the sexes of different species
How can we estimate biological sex from the skeleton?
size and shape differences
Broadly, what do female bones usually look like?
smaller and more rounded
Broadly, what do male bones usually look like?
larger and more robust
Can you estimate sex from juvenile remains?
No! (sexual dimorphism starts around puberty)
Human variation ___.
is not discrete (happens on a scale)
Increased disease in a population leads to ___ dimorphism in a population.
decreased
How accurate is using the skull and pelvis together for estimation? `
90-100%
How accurate is using the pelvis alone for estimation?
90-95%
How accurate is using the skull along for estimation?
70-87%
How accurate is using long bones alone for estimation?
~80%
Why is the pelvis so good for estimating sex?
its under two very important evolutionary constraints that limit variation (walking & childbirth)
Why do bones belonging to males have more muscle attachments?
Increased testosterone = increased muscle = increased weight = increased muscle attachments
Male v. Female: Pelvis Inlet & Outlet
male: heart-shaped inlet (more closed in), female: circular & oval-shaped
Male v. Female: Pelvis Blades
male: high and vertical, female: low and wide
Male v. Female: Sacrum
male: long and narrow (tucks in more), female: short and wide (less curvature)
What is Phenice’s Method?
the most well known method for sex estimation
What traits is Phenice’s Method based on?
ventral arc, subpubic concavity, and ishiopubic ramus
Male v. Female: Ventral Arc
male: triangular, female: little corner (more square)