Gender- Chromomes and hormones Flashcards
When is genetic makeup fixed?
At the moment of conception
What do genes determine?
-Biological sex
-Production of various hormones (which affect your sense of male or femaleness)
Where is the X chromosomes (for females) found?
-Orum (egg)
Where are men’s X and Y chromosomes found?
-In the sperm (half Y and half X)
How is the sex of a foetus determined?
Depends on which sperm fertilises the egg (X or Y)
Describe development prenatally (6-8 weeks post fertilisation)?
-All fetoses have the same undevolped sex organs
-Presence or absence of the SRY gene dictates whether it is female or male
Which sex posses the SRY gene and why?
-Male
-It is found on the Y chromosome
Describe male devolpment
-Y chromosome contains instructions for the body to produce androgens
-Causes embryo to develop down the male path
-SRY gene produces the protein testis determining factor (TDF)
-TDF influences the development of the gonads
-Gonads then become testes
-Testes produce testosterone
-Testosterone triggers the development of external male organs
What are androgens?
-Male sex hormones
Describe female development
-Absence of SRY gene + absensce of male hormones will result in devolpment of the mullerian system into female sex organs
Describe male development during puberty
-Around 10 years
-Hypothalamus releases a hormone which affects the anterior pituitary gland which causes the gonads to become active
-They control the development of secondary sexual characteristics
Some XY individuals have an insentivity hormones such as testosterone (the bodies tissues do not respond) in extreme cases what can happen?
-No male gentitalia devolp
-So some males are idnetifed as female at birth
Does testosterone affect brain development prenatally both prenatally and later in childhood?
Yes
What is the default gender?
Female
Why is oxytocin important for women and men?
-Causes milk to flow for breastfeeding and labour to start in women
-nurturing behaviour in both sexes
Give an evaluation point (biological determinism)
-John money- biological sex is the main factor in gender development
-Intersex individuals such as David reimer (born XY male, botch circumsisicion and parents told by medical proffessionals to raise him as a girl)
-Case study initially supported the idea but during puberty it became apparent that he was male due to large amounts of testosterone being released
-Shows that biologicalfactors do have a key role in gender devolpment
-Ethical implications as Reimer commited suidicide
Give an evaluation point (cultural and social influences)
-Batsitasfamily, dominican republic
-Children born with female gentalila, raised as girls byt large amounts of testosterone produced by puberty meant male genitalia was presnt and children were actually XY
-The ‘girls’ accepted their now male role and the community + other family members also did
-shows differences in culture between western cultures and the rest of the world
-Links to the nature nurture debate
Give an evaluation point (Real world application)
-Greater understanding of intersex conditions
-In the past assigning the child a gender and surgery has been recommended to make the individual look more normal
-Recommendations now include assigning a gender but no surgery until the individual can make the decision themselves which can improve quality of life
-Implication for genetic disorders as well such as turners syndrome as they can be tested for earlier
Give an evaluation point (Hormones + brain devolpment)
-Quadango monkeys (female), deliberately exposed to testosterone prenatally
-Engaged in more aggressive play
-Eisenger observed women playing a barganing game
-Those who believed they had been given a dose of testosterone behaved in a more unfair manner
-This resarch suggests that hormones do have a role in brain devolpment and behavioru
-Although there are issues with generealisbility in animal research
