Gender Flashcards
What is a chromosome?
A chromosome is the main genetic code which is in every cell in the body. A standard human will have 46 chromosomes (23 pairs)
What is a hormone?
A hormone is a chemical substance which is secreted into the bloodstream via glands
What are the three main hormones related to gender?
Testosterone - sex hormone, associated with anger, sex drive, etc
Oestrogen - controls development and menstruation in women
Oxytocin - the love hormone, creates a feeling of bonding when secreted
Outline research conducted by Young in 1966
A group of rats were given increased levels of testosterone. Young found that they had a much higher sex drive compared to the control group of rats whose testosterone levels had been unaltered. Proving that hormones did control sex drive
What is Klinefelter’s syndrome?
Klinefelter’s syndrome occurs in around 1/2000 men. It is when a man is born with an extra X chromosome (XXY) they are taller than the average male, but are infertile and carry a more feminine appearance
What is Turners syndrome?
Turners syndrome affects 1/2000 women. It is when a woman is born without a Y chromosome (Xo). The syndrome causes shorter than average height, underdeveloped ovaries and heart defects
What are Kohlberg’s three stages of gender development?
Gender Labelling (2-3 years) - the child understands their own gender, but uses labelled stereotypes to asses other people’s gender e.g. a boy wearing a dress or makeup is a girl
Gender stability (4-6 years) - the child begins to see gender as more stable, but is still confused by gender in different contexts e.g. they may be confused as to how a man could be a nurse, or how a woman could be a builder
Gender constancy (6+ years) - the child finally understands that gender is a fixed concept, and is no longer fooled by appearance or different contexts
Kohlberg’s theory of gender development AO3
- Descriptive rather than explanatory (does not explain why the child’s understanding of gender changes)
- Thompson (1975) - found that 90% pf 3 year olds could correctly gender themselves, compared to the 76% of 2 year olds who could identify their gender
What is gender schema theory?
Gender schema theory outlines how once children are able to identify their own gender around the ages of 2-3, they then begin to associate with their respective ‘in group’ (their own gender) and begin to replicate the actions of those within it
Define schema in relation to gender development
Schema is a mental framework of existing ideas about the world. Schema is the reason why children have roles that their respective gender must adhere to. A common example is that boys must be rough and adventurous, whereas girls are more gentle and caring. Children learn these schemas through associating with their ‘in group’
Outline research conducted by Liben and Signorella in 1993
A group of children were shown a series of images containing men and women doing stereotypical activities and non-stereotypical activities. The children could remember the slides containing the stereotypical images much more easily than the non-stereotypical images. Showing how schema may have an impact on what the child deems focus worthy, which in turn impacts how efficient their memory of it is
