G - Biosocial Flashcards
What does the Biosocial approach empasise?
The interaction between nature and nurture and how these influence gender identity
How does Differential Treatment develop genders?
Labelling of a baby influences how it’s treated
This approach argues the label serves as a signpost by which the babes needs and behaviours are interpreted
People treat a baby differently on the basis of its biological sex and depending on their own views about gender differences
What does this approach mean by ‘anatomy is destiny’?
How a child is labelled at birth determines how it is physically raised/socialised
There is a period of flexibility when a childs gender is still malleable (0-3 years)
What did Smith and Lloyd find?
32 mothers, found that they played more vigorously with a ‘boy’ than a ‘girl’
What is a weakness of Smith and Lloyd’s study?
Participants may have behaved as they felt they were expected to - demand characteristics
What did the cases study of Mrs DW (Goldwy) show?
Had AIS, brought up as a women, found out she was biologically male in late teens, no internal female organs, stayed as women and adopted children - never felt masculine (nurture can overall nature)
How did the case study of Mr Blackwell further support Mrs DW?
Labelled/raised as a boy, developed breasts at puberty, had an active ovary on one side and an active testicle on the other, occurs when 2 sperm fertilises an egg, brain as not masculine but he felt masculine - shows biology alone is not enough to determine gender
How does the case study of David Reimer go against this approach?
Castrated as a baby and was then raised as a girl, had surgery to turn female but was never happy until he reverted back to being male - shows that ‘anatomy is destiny’ may not be true and gender is not always malleable
Name a criticism of David Reimer
Case study - cannot be generalised as its unique
