Gender

Question 1

Sex and gender definitions:

Answer 1

Sex is biological - fact determined by chromosomes, refers to XY and XX.

Males: XY
Females: XX

Gender is social - determined by the behaviours, attitudes beliefs and sense of identity that individuals and society seems appropriate for each sex.
Also includes - psychological, behavioural and cultural aspects of being M or F

Gender reassignment surgery - surgery to change genitalia

Sex change is impossible.

Role stereotypes: a set of beliefs and preconceived ideas about the expected ways that a M and F should think and behave.

Question 2

Bem - Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) 1974

Answer 2

Stage 1:
• 100 American students (50/50) asked to rate 200 traits as M or F
• 60 traits selected for final inventory - 20M, 20F and 20N
• BSRI was created.
• Each participant was asked to rate themselves on a 7-point scale for all 60 traits
• Results led to one of 4 results: Masculine, Feminine, Androgynous, Undifferentiated

Stage 2:
• BSRI piloted on 1000 students to see if their result matched their own gender description - IT DID!
• Some of the 1000 were tested again 1 month later
(Test-Retest method - improves reliability, reduces demand characteristics and social desirability)

Question 3

The batista family

Answer 3

• A study on the Batista family in the Dominican Republic.
• 37 children studied by the researchers had inherited a mutant recessive gene from an 18th century ancestor
• Born with female genitals and raised as girls even though all had XY chromosomes
• when they reached puberty testosterone levels led to the production of a male hormone which they lacked before birth
• this hormone led to a development of male genitals and adapted to a male lifestyle easily despite being raised as girls
• The role of socialisation in the development of sex roles appeared to be overridden by biological factors and so researchers concluded biology (Nature) was important.
• the ability to adapt so easily suggests the testosterone had pre-programmed masculinity into their brains

However…
• The ‘female’ genitalia was not entirely normal and others knew this from communal river bathing
• may have had no issue with the change because they were never comfortable being female to start with
• the Dominican Republic was highly patriarchal at the time and boys were described as ‘little miracles’

Question 4

Nature = sex
Nurture = gender

Protogyny - organisms that are born female and at some point in their lifespan change their sex to male.

Fun fact: an estimated 1 in 2000 babies are born intersexed

Answer 4

Benefits of socially sensitive research:

• studies of under-represented groups and issues promote greater understanding
• SSR can benefit society as a whole e.g. research into eye-witness testimony has reduced the risk of miscarriages of justice within the legal system
• wording in research may influence findings, e.g. research into ‘alternative research’ have been guilty of heterosexual bias

Question 5

David Riemer Study
Twin brothers
Questions for understanding

Answer 5

• male (XY)
• circumcision went wrong due to electrical equipment failure
• a ‘gender gate’ exists if a child is raised as a specific gender before age 2, this is how a gender can be changed.
• both could be compared and studied side-by-side
• Brenda had a vulva created…
• theories were worthy of experimentation as it has provided findings that may have not been found if the experiment did not take place, it has provided a better understanding of how gender impacts psychologically, socially and biologically
• they placed their trust in a doctor due to his reputation
• he was lonely - had no friends, became suicidal, played in a masculine way but looked and was named as a female
• despite every aspect of David’s life being influenced in a feminine way, his biology still presently showed that he was male

Question 6

Evaluation points

GRENADE

Answer 6

G - gender
R - reductionism
E - ethical issues
N - nature/nurture...nomothetic/idiographic 
A - animals
D - determinism
E - ethnocentrism

Question 7

Kleinfelter syndrome (men)

Turners syndrome (women)

Answer 7

KS:
Additional X chromosome
XXY pattern - effects men

Symptoms:
•struggle to grow beard
•lose chest hair
•30% additional breast tissue
•small testes
•osteoporosis 
•taller than average

TS:
Missing X chromosome
X pattern - effects women

Symptoms:
•Shorter than average
•webbing of neck
•heart problems
•broad chest - nipples widely spaced
•infertility
•missing skin pigments

Question 8

Gender schema theory

Answer 8

A collection of ideas or beliefs related to gender.

Martin and Halverson (1981)
Believed by age 6 children have developed a stereotyped schema and will forget, misremember or disregard behaviour that does not fit with their schema

Question 9

Kohlbergs theory of gender development

Answer 9

Gender labelling -> child is aware if they are M or F and can superficially categorise others based on outwards appearance -> age 2-3

Gender stability -> realise gender is fixed but could change if playing with the other gender -> age 4-6

Gender constancy -> gender is fixed -> age 7+

Question 10

Freud’s stages of development:

Answer 10

0-2: Oral
2-3: Anal
3-6: Phallic
6-12: Latency
12+: Genital

Phallic stage:
Oedipus complex - males (castration anxiety)
Electra complex - females (penis envy)

Question 11

Fa’afafine

Answer 11

3rd gender of Samoa
Biological male who lives as a female
NOT discouraged