Gender Flashcards
What are the female chromosomes
XX
What are the male chromosomes
XY
What do chromosomes determine?
Hormonal differences e.g anatomy, hair growth
What is the difference between sex and gender
Sex is biological status of male or female whereas gender is psychosocial status as masculine or feminine
What is gender dysphoria
The biological sex of a person doesn’t correspond with their gender identity
What is a sex role stereotype
A set of expectations that people within society or culture hold about what is acceptable behaviour for male or females
What is Androgny
A personality type that is of both masculine and feminine traits
What is a measurement of Androgny
Bem’s sex role inventory
What does Bem’s sex role inventory consist of?
A scale presents 20 characteristics that would commonly be identified as “masculine”
20 “feminine”
And 20 “neutral”
-participants were asked to rate themselves on a 7 point scale
-1 being “never true of me”
-7 being “always true of me”
What were the classifications and scores of Bem’s sex role inventory?
Scores were classified into 4 groups
Classification- masculine = Score- High masculine, low feminine.
Classification- Feminine = Score High feminine, low masculine
Classification- Androgynous = Score High masculine, High feminine
Classification- Undifferenced = Score Low masculine, Low feminine
Give 2 strengths of Bem’s sex role inventory
- Quantitative approach, a numerical approach is useful for research purposes e.g quantifying a dependant variable.
- Good test retest reliability
Give 2 limitations of Bem’s sex role inventory
1.Self awareness, people may not have insight into their gender identity. You need a strong sense of self.
2.temporal validity, it was developed over 40 years ago (outdated)
Explain the role of chromosomes
-There are 46 chromosomes split 2 pairs of 23, the 23rd pair determining biological sex.
-males have XY chromosomes
-females have XX chromosomes
-All egg cells have an X chromosomes and sperm carry either an X or Y chromosome
Describe the role of hormones
-at puberty a burst of hormonal activity triggers the development of sexual characteristics necessary for reproduction
What is the female hormone and what is the male hormone?
Female is Oestrogen
Male is Testosterone
Describe the hormone testosterone
-A male hormone that controls the development of male sex organs
-High levels of testosterone are linked to aggression (linking to stereotypes)
Describe the hormone Oestrogen
-A female hormone that determines sexual characteristics and mensuration
-causes women to experience heightened emotion during menstruation
-referred to as PMS when it becomes a diagnosable disorder
Describe Oxytocin
-Women typically produce it in larger amounts than men particularly a result of giving birth
-typically referred to as the “love hormone”
-It is released in massive quantities after childbirth.
-because men produce less it creates the stereotypes of men being less intimate.
What is a research for hormones in reference to hypogonadism
Wang et al = gave men with hypogonadism (a condition caused by a man’s testes failing to produce normal levels of testosterone) therapy.
-Found testosterone replacement improved sexual function, mood and muscle strength
-shows that testosterone has a powerful influence on these characteristics
Give one strength and 2 limitations of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender
Strength = research support, Wang et al
Limitation = Reductionist, ignores alternative explanations such as the cognitive approach with processes such as gender schema
Limitation = nature v nurture
What is Klinefelters syndrome?
An example of atypical sex chromosome patterns in men
-affects around 1 in 600 biological men who have an extra X chromosome (XXY)
What are the physical effects of klinefelters syndrome?
-Reduced body hair
-softening of body
-underdeveloped genitals
-breast development
What are psychological effects of Klinefelters syndrome?
-poorly developed language and reading skills
-passiveness
-shyness
What is Turner’s syndrome?
-An example of atypical sex chromosomes in females
-effects around 1 in 5000 biological females who have 45 chromosomes instead of 46
-they have an absence of one X chromosome
What are the physical effects of Turner’s syndrome
-No menstrual cycle
-No breasts
-low set ears & webbed neck
What are the psychological effects of Turners syndrome
-higher reading ability
-poor maths
-socially immature
Give one strength and one limitation of atypical sex chromosomes
Strength = Nature v nurture, helps psychologists establish which types of behaviour are innate
Limitation = Sampling issue, klinefelters syndrome only tested on people with severe symptoms (distorting reality)
What is kohlbergs theory?
Gender is based on the idea that child’s understanding of gender becomes sophisticated with age (brain development)
What is the first stage of kohlbergs theory?
Gender identity = Age 2 to 3 children can identify themselves and others as boy or girl based on outward appearances e.g hair or clothes
What is the second stage of Kohlberg theory?
Gender stability = Age 4 children realise gender will always be the same over time (boys grow into men)
-although not in different situations (man with long hair)
What is the third stage of kohlbergs theory?
gender constancy = age 6 children recognise gender remains constant across time and situations
What research supports kohlbergs theory?
Thompson = found that 3 year olds were able to identify sex better than 2 year olds
Give a strength of kolhlbergs theory
- Research support = Thompson
Give two limitations of kohlbergs theory
- it’s descriptive rather than explanatory. Tells us how not why.
- SLT believes gender is from reinforcement and imitation (gives us a better account)
What is gender schema?
An organised set of beliefs and expectations of gender that are derived from experience
-controls how a person navigates their own gender and others
What is the study of gender schema after gender identity
Martin & Halverson = Once a child has established gender identity at 2-3 years they will begin to search the environment for information that encourages development of gender schema.
How does gender schema determine behaviour?
-Schema are likely to be formed around stereotypes such as girls have long hair boys have short hair.
-by 6 children have a fixed stereotypical view of what is gender appropriate
What does In-group information of gender schema mean?
Children tend to have better understanding of the schema that is appropriate to their gender (the In-group)
Why is In-group information of gender scheme better remembered?
Children pay more attention to information relevant to their gender identity
Give one strength of gender schema theory
Strength = Research support, Martin and Halversons own study found that children the age of 6 were more likely to remember photographs of gender appropriate behaviour than gender inappropriate behaviour which is what gender schema predicted.
Give one limitation of gender schema theory
It reinforces the maintenance and power of gender beliefs which are harmful in the society we live in today
What does the term Pre-phallic mean in Freuds theory of gender?
Prior to the phallic stage at which children have no concept of gender so they look to genitals ( the phallic stage)
What is the Oedipus complex in gender?
-in the phallic stage boys feel attraction towards their mother and see the father as competition for that love.
-however the boy realises his father is more powerful and fears he may be castrated by him.
-this leads to castration anxiety
-to resolve this conflict the boy gives up his love for mother and identifies with his father.
What is the electra complex in gender?
-In the phallic stage girl’s experience penis envy, competing with her mother for her fathers love.
-they develop double resentment = first, their mother standing in the way
Second, the mother is to blame for having no penis (castrated by her mother)
-over time girls accept they will never have a penis and substitute penis envy with the desire to have children, identifying with their mothers as a result
What did Bem say about his Androgyny scale results?
People who are highly androgynous are more psychologically healthy than people who are strongly masculine, strongly feminine or undifferenced
What is identification and internalisation in freuds theory of gender?
Both sexes identify with the same sex parent and adopt their attitudes (gender identity) and internalise it by taking it on board.
Outline Freuds Little hans case study
-his evidence for the Oedipus complex
-Hans was a 5 year old boy with a fear of being bitten by a horse
-Freud said that his fear of being bitten was an unconscious defence mechanism (displacement) of his fear of castration.
Give 3 brief limitations of freuds psychodynamic theory
1.Gender bias, Freud admitted women were a mystery to him ( little hans & connotations of “penis envy)
2.Not scientific, can’t be falsified & little hans
3.temporal validity, theory was developed in 1900s society has progressed
Outline direct reinforcement in SLT in reference to gender
-children are more likely to be reinforced (praised) for demonstrating gender appropriate behaviour
-The way boys and girls are encouraged to show gender appropriate behaviour is called differential reinforcement.
Outline vicarious reinforcement in SLT in reference to gender
-If consequences of another persons behaviour are “rewarded” children are more likely to imitate and vice versa (punished)
-e.g mother receives a compliment for wearing makeup and a dress.
What are the meditational processes?
Attention
Retention
Reproduction
Motivation
(ARRM)
Give one strength of SLT approach in gender
real world application
-can explain cultural changes in gender appropriate behaviour
-The shift in social norms over the years has caused new forms of gender behaviour that are now unlikely to be punished.
Give 2 limitations of SLT approach in gender
- doesn’t provide an accurate representation of how learning processes vary with age
-A two year old doesn’t learn the same as a 9 year old. - Non scientific, not testable
Give a detailed description of the influence of cross- cultural research for the nature v nurture Debate of gender
-if a particular gender role behaviour appears to be consistent across different cultures, it might be concluded to be an innate biological difference between males and females (nature)
-but if they are culturally specific it could be concluded to be influenced by socialisation (nurture)
What is a culture research in gender to do with nurture
Mead = cross cultural study of gender roles on the island of Somoa
-The Arapesh men and women were gentle (the stereotype of femininity)
-Shows sex and gender don’t correlate
What is a culture research in gender to do with nature?
Buss = found in all cultures from 37 countries women sought out men who could provide wealth
-Whereas men sought out women who were physically attractive
Give a brief description of media and gender roles
The media provide role models that children identify and imitate (most likely same sex)
Who said that the media give stereotypical presentations and what did they specifically did they say?
Furnham & Farragher = Men are more likely to be shown in professional roles whereas women in domestic settings.
What is self efficacy?
Bandura = said that media gives info to males and females
- this increases a child’s belief they are able capable of carrying out such behaviours in the future if their role models can.
What is a research of self efficacy
Mitra et al= a detective drama gave girls hope they are capable of working outside the home.
Evaluate the media influence on gender with 1 strength and 1 limitation.
Strength = It holds theoretical basis, shows cultivation theory
Limitation = Reductionist, Other factors than the media are, like family.
What is the Brain sex theory in gender dysphoria?
Suggest gender dysphoria has a basis in brain structure
What is the study of brain sex theory in gender?
Kruijver et al = the bed nucleus of the Syria terminalis. This structure is involved in emotional responses which is larger in males than females
-has been found to be female sized in transgender females.
-Suggests people with gender dysphoria have a BST which is the size of the gender they identify with not their biological sex.
What is the research for genetic factors in gender dysphoria?
Heylens et al = studies twins
-Found 39% of the identical twins were concordant for gender dysphoria compared to non of the fraternal twins.
What is the research of the social constructionism of gender? (gender dysphoria)
McClintock = Individuals with a genetic condition
(5-alpha-reductase deficiency) 5ARD
-in the Sahara of New Guinea
-Causes some biological males to be characterised as girls bc they have a clitoris, that during puberty becomes a penis
-it’s accepted socially that females turn into males.
