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Psychology > GENDER content > Flashcards

GENDER content Flashcards

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1
Q

Chromosomes

A

A long DNA molecule with part or all of the genetic material of an organism.

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2
Q

How many chromosomes are there in the human body + how are they arranged?

A

46 pairs of chromosomes in the human body, arranged into 23 pairs.

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3
Q

How is biological sex determined in chromosomes?

A
  • The 23rd pair determines the biological sex of the child.
  • XX = females
  • XY = males
  • The first chromosome is passed onto the child by the mother.
  • As females only carry X chromosomes, this is always an X.
  • This means that it is the father who determines the biological sex of the child.
  • If he passes on an X chromosome the child will be female and if he passes on a Y chromosome, the child will be male.
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4
Q

How does a biological male form (chromosome explanation)?

A
  • The Y chromosome carries a gene called the ‘sex-determining’ = SRY.
  • The SRY causes testes to develop in the foetus.
  • The testes secrete androgens, which are male sex hormones.
  • Androgens cause the foetus to develop into a male.
  • Without them, the foetus will remain female.
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5
Q

The role of hormones in sex development

A
  • Chromosomes determine whether the foetus will develop into a male or a female, (e.g. the SRY gene in the Y chromosome)
  • But it’s hormones that cause the physical development that defines each sex.
  • FIRST an effect on the brain of the developing foetus.
  • At puberty, a burst of hormonal activity triggers the development of secondary sex characteristics, such as breasts, pubic hair and beard growth.
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6
Q

Who produces testosterone?

A
  • Both males and females produce testosterone

- Males have it in much greater quantities.

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7
Q

Testosterone

A

Prenatally:
> development of the male sex organs
> masculinises the brain by speeding up development in certain areas, e.g spatial awareness.

  • Testosterone is also linked to traditional male-type behaviours, such as competitiveness and aggression.
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8
Q

Other possible effects of testosterone

A

Believed that differences in the hypothalamus are also down to the action of sex hormones, such as testosterone, although this has not been confirmed.

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9
Q

Who produces oestrogen?

A

Primarily a female hormone

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10
Q

Oestrogen

A
  • Promotes the development and maintenance of female characteristics of the body.
  • E.G. the development of breasts in puberty, and, later on, regulates menstruation.
  • Oestrogen is also associated with traditional female-type behaviours, such as sensitivity and co-operation.
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11
Q

Who produces oxytocin?

A
  • Typically produced in greater amounts in women, particularly as a result of giving birth.
  • HOWEVER, both sexes produce oxytocin in similar amounts during sex.
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12
Q

Oxytocin

A
  • It facilitates bonding.
  • For this reason it is sometimes referred to as the ‘love hormone’.
  • Oxytocin is released in massive quantities during labour and after childbirth and makes new mother feel ‘in love’ with their baby.
  • Both sexes produce oxytocin in similar amounts during sex.
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13
Q

2 Atypical sex chromosome patterns:

A
  1. Klinefelter syndrome

2. Turner syndrome

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14
Q

What chromosome formation does someone with Klinefelter syndrome have?

A
  • XXY
  • Biological males (XY) with the anatomical
    appearance of a male
  • But they have an additional X chromosome.
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15
Q

Common physical effects of Klinefelter syndrome:

A

PHYSICAL EFFECTS:

  1. Gynaecomasita (male breasts)
  2. Underdeveloped genitals
  3. Reduced body hair
  4. Tall stature
  5. Poor muscle tone
  6. Susceptible to health problems that more commonly affect women, e.g. breast cancer.
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16
Q

Common psychological effects of Klinefelter syndrome:

A

PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS:

  1. Poorly developed language skills + reading ability.
  2. Typically Lower IQ
  3. Tend to be shy + passive
  4. Lack interest in sexual activity.
  5. Many respond badly to stress
17
Q

How many people does Klinefelter syndrome affect?

A
  • Between 1/500 and 1/1,000 people in the population.

- However its thought around 2/3 of people who have the syndrome are unaware of it.

18
Q

What chromosome formation does someone with Turner’s syndrome have?

A
  • X(0)

- Absence of one of the X chromosomes on the 23rd pair

19
Q

Common physical effects of Turner’s syndrome:

A

PHYSICAL EFFECTS:

  1. Absence of the menstrual cycle
  2. Ovaries fail to develop = infertile
  3. Broad ‘shield chest’
  4. Low set ears
  5. ‘Webbed’ neck
  6. High waist to hip ratio

> physically immature and tend to retain the appearance of a pre- pubescent girl.

20
Q

Common psychological effects of Turner’s syndrome:

A 
PSYCHOLOGICAL AFFECTS: 
1. Higher than average reading ability 
2. Lower than normal performance in:
    > spatial tasks
    > visual memory tasks
    > mathematical tasks
3. Socially immature - trouble relating to their peers and fitting in.
21
Q

How many people does Turner’s syndrome affect?

A

Affects approx 1/5000 females.

22
Q

Kohlberg’s theory of gender development

A
  • Child’s understanding of gender becomes more sophisticated with age as their intellectual reasoning becomes more developed.
  • Gender development is thought to progress through three stages.
  • The suggested ages are approximate = reflect the fact that the transition from stage to stage is gradual rather than sudden.
23
Q

3 stages of Kohlberg’s theory of gender development:

A
  1. Gender identity (2-)
  2. Gender stability (4-)
  3. Gender constancy (6-)
24
Q

Stage 1: Gender Identity

A

The child enters this stage at around the age of 2:

  • Child recognises that they are male or female
  • BUT the knowledge is fragile and child may not realise that little boys grow into men, and little girls grow up into women.
25
Q

Stage 2: Gender stability

A

The child enters this stage around the age of 4:

  • The child realises that they retain their gender for a lifetime
  • Unable to apply that logic to other people.
  • Still believe that if someone engages in behaviour that is typical of the opposite sex, that that person gender changes.
    > E.G. they might believe that if a man puts on a skirt, he becomes a woman.
  • Rely on superficial characteristics to determine someone’s gender
    > E.G. hair length, so a man who has long hair will be judged to be a woman.
26
Q

Stage 3: Gender Constancy

A

The child enters this stage around the age of 6:

  • Child realises that gender is permanent and remains consistent across time and situations for others as well as for themselves.
  • May regard a man wearing a dress unusual, they still recognise that he is a man.
  • In this stage the child comes to value the behaviours and attitudes associated with their gender, and identify with adults who possess these qualities.
27
Q

Schema

A

Schemas are mental frameworks that help people organise and understand information; they also allow you to predict what to do in certain situations.

28
Q

Gender Schema theory

A
  • Gender identity develops through both cognitive and social processes.
  • The child’s schema develops around 2/3 as soon as:
    > child notices differences between boys and girls
    > and can label the two groups reliably.
  • Having developed the schema, the child then looks for information that helps them to develop their schema.
29
Q

Martin and Halverson:

Two types of sex-related schemas =

A
  1. “in group out-group” schema
  2. “own-sex” schema.

FOR EXAMPLE:
A girl might begin by identifying toys which are:
> In group: a doll for a girl
> Out-group: a train for a boy
- Then move on to the own-sex schema by thinking:
> “A doll is for a girl. I am a girl. A doll is for me”.

30
Q

What are the roles of gender schemas in a child’s development?

A
  • Help children interpret and organise their experience.
  • Children tend to pay more attention to information that is relevant to their own gender identity, rather than to that which is relevant to the opposite sex (out group).
31
Q

Gender schemas at 6 years old:

A

Child has a rather fixed and stereotypical idea about what is appropriate for its gender

32
Q

Gender schemas at 8 years old:

A

Gender schemas have become more complex

33
Q

Gender schemas in late childhood/early adolescence:

A

Schemas become more flexible and children are not as likely to stick so rigidly to gender stereotypical behaviours.

34
Q

How is Gender schema theory different to Kohlberg’s theory of gender development?

A
  1. It’s a cognitive-development theory of gender not a stage theory
  2. Gender schema theory unlike Kohlberg doesn’t suggest that children need to know that gender is permanent to develop gender schema.

Psychology (12 decks)

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