Gender

Question 1

What are Sex-role stereotypes?

Answer 1

Sex-role stereotypes are socially and/or culturally defined sets of expectations we have about the behaviour of each gender. (e.g. boys like blue)

Question 2

What did Bem say about gender?

Answer 2

Bem said that one person can display behaviours of both genders. She also said you can not tell someone’s gender based of of their behaviours alone.

Question 3

What effect did Bem say that gender stereotypes in modern society could have on people?

Answer 3

Bem said stereotypes in modern society could cause psychological and social harm by artificially restricting behaviour. (Men like cooking, women like rugby.)

Question 4

Name Bem’s gender test?

Answer 4

Bem’s gender test is called the ‘Bem Sex Role Inventory’ (BSRI).

Question 5

What scale does the BSRI use to rate participants likelihood of performing behaviours?

Answer 5

It uses a 7 point likert scale.

Question 6

What was one criticism of the BSRI and how was this fixed?

Answer 6

The BSRI was criticised for describing androgyny as high in male and female traits not low in female and male. This was solved by adding a fourth category labelled ‘undifferentiated’.

Question 7

What theory did Bem go on to right these findings up and propose them in?

Answer 7

Gender Schema Theory.

Question 8

What are the 3 stages of Kohlberg’s theory?

Answer 8

• Gender Labelling
• Gender Stability
• Gender Constancy

Question 9

Outline the Gender Labelling stage of Kohlberg’s theory?

Answer 9

2 - 3 years old
Children label themselves and others as ‘boy’ and ‘girl’, labelling of others happen first. They label based on appearance.
This is Preoperational thinking.
By the end of this stage, children have schemata for simple masculine and feminine characteristics.

Question 10

Outline the Gender stability stage of Kohlberg’s theory?

Answer 10

4-7 years old
Children realise that gender is stable over time. However they don’t yet realise that gender is stable across different situations e.g. if a man wears a dress he can become a woman.

Question 11

Outline the Gender constancy stage of Kohlberg’s theory?

Answer 11

7+
Children start to develop gender constancy - the belief that gender is entirely independent of time, place or appearance. Children begin to show preferences for gender appropriate behaviour.

Question 12

What is Androgyny?

Answer 12

The word means a combination of male and female characteristics.

Question 13

What is Gender?

Answer 13

A person’s sense of maleness or femaleness a psychological/social construct.

Question 14

What is Sex?

Answer 14

Being genetically male (XY) or female (XX).

Question 15

What are Hormones?

Answer 15

The body’s chemical messengers.

Question 16

What is Intersex?

Answer 16

The term used to describe an individual who is neither male of female because of a mismatch between, for example chromosomes and genitals.

Question 17

What are Chromosomes?

Answer 17

The X-Shaped bodies that carry all the genetic information (DNA) for an organism.

Question 18

What is the Typical chromosome pattern?

Answer 18

23 pairs.

Question 19

Outline Klinefelter’s syndrome?

Answer 19

Klinefelter’s syndrome is due to an XXY configuration. The individual is born with a penis and develops as a fairly normal male.

• Approximately 1 in 1000 males.
• Taller than average, less muscle coordination, less masculine due to lower testosterone e.g. less facial hair broader hips and possible breast tissue. Infertile.

Question 20

Outline Turner’s syndrome?

Answer 20

Turner’s syndrome is due to an XO configuration, meaning the second sex chromosome is partially or completely missing.

• 1 in 2000 females at birth.
• Born with a vagina and a womb. Shorter than average , lack of periods due to underdevelopment of ovaries. Many other possible characteristics e.g. small jaw, webbed neck, narrow hips.

Question 21

What does Oxytocin do?

Answer 21

Promotes feelings of bonding in men and women.

Question 22

How do peer relationships effect behaviour?

Answer 22

• leads them to believe all girls share the same interests and all boys share the same interests.
• They avoid children of the opposite sex because they are not ‘like me’.

Question 23

How does ingroup outgroup work?

Answer 23

Humans categorize things. Members of the outgroup are viewed as less similar and, as a result we may have biases against them. Thus, the outgroup bias includes negative categorizations, feelings, or ideas about people who are not part of our ingroup.

Question 24

What is the Oedipus complex?

Answer 24

The Oedipus complex occurs during the phallic stage of development, when a boy wishes his father was dead because they are rivals for the mothers love.

Question 25

What is the Electra complex?

Answer 25

The Electra complex occurs during the phallic stage of development when a girl blames her mother for her lack of penis (penis envy), but eventually resolves this through her wish to have a baby which leads to her identifying with her mother.

Question 26

What’s the result of an unresolved phallic stage?

Answer 26

Fixation on the genital stage results in a phallic character who is afraid of or not capable of close love. Freud also claimed that fixation could be the cause of abnormal behaviour and homosexuality.

Question 27

Outline the ‘Transexual gene’?

Answer 27

One study looked at the DNA of MtF transgenders and found they were more likely to have a longer version of the androgen receptor. Effect is reduced testosterone leading to potential underdevelopment in womb.

Question 28

Outline the ‘Brain-sex theory’?

Answer 28

The theory is based on the fact that transexuals brains don’t match their original sex. Found evidence for this in neuron count.

Question 29

Outline Phantom limb and cross wiring in terms of gender?

Answer 29

It is proposed that the image of sexual organs is innately hardwired in the brain in a manor opposite to the person’s biological sex. Males feel that they should not have a penis, females feel that they should have a penis..

Question 30

Outline Environmental facts that have an effect on gender?

Answer 30

Environmental pollution may cause this problem. The pesticide DDT contains oestrogen which may mean that males are prenatally exposed to these hormones causing a mismatch between genetic sex and hormone influences.