GENDER content Flashcards
Chromosomes
A long DNA molecule with part or all of the genetic material of an organism.
How many chromosomes are there in the human body + how are they arranged?
46 pairs of chromosomes in the human body, arranged into 23 pairs.
How is biological sex determined in chromosomes?
- 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.
How does a biological male form (chromosome explanation)?
- 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.
The role of hormones in sex development
- 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.
Who produces testosterone?
- Both males and females produce testosterone
- Males have it in much greater quantities.
Testosterone
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.
Other possible effects of testosterone
Believed that differences in the hypothalamus are also down to the action of sex hormones, such as testosterone, although this has not been confirmed.
Who produces oestrogen?
Primarily a female hormone
Oestrogen
- 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.
Who produces oxytocin?
- Typically produced in greater amounts in women, particularly as a result of giving birth.
- HOWEVER, both sexes produce oxytocin in similar amounts during sex.
Oxytocin
- 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.
2 Atypical sex chromosome patterns:
- Klinefelter syndrome
2. Turner syndrome
What chromosome formation does someone with Klinefelter syndrome have?
- XXY
- Biological males (XY) with the anatomical
appearance of a male - But they have an additional X chromosome.
Common physical effects of Klinefelter syndrome:
PHYSICAL EFFECTS:
- Gynaecomasita (male breasts)
- Underdeveloped genitals
- Reduced body hair
- Tall stature
- Poor muscle tone
- Susceptible to health problems that more commonly affect women, e.g. breast cancer.
Common psychological effects of Klinefelter syndrome:
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS:
- Poorly developed language skills + reading ability.
- Typically Lower IQ
- Tend to be shy + passive
- Lack interest in sexual activity.
- Many respond badly to stress
How many people does Klinefelter syndrome affect?
- 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.
What chromosome formation does someone with Turner’s syndrome have?
- X(0)
- Absence of one of the X chromosomes on the 23rd pair
Common physical effects of Turner’s syndrome:
PHYSICAL EFFECTS:
- Absence of the menstrual cycle
- Ovaries fail to develop = infertile
- Broad ‘shield chest’
- Low set ears
- ‘Webbed’ neck
- High waist to hip ratio
> physically immature and tend to retain the appearance of a pre- pubescent girl.
Common psychological effects of Turner’s syndrome:
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.How many people does Turner’s syndrome affect?
Affects approx 1/5000 females.
Kohlberg’s theory of gender development
- 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.
3 stages of Kohlberg’s theory of gender development:
- Gender identity (2-)
- Gender stability (4-)
- Gender constancy (6-)
Stage 1: Gender Identity
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.
Stage 2: Gender stability
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.
Stage 3: Gender Constancy
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.
Schema
Schemas are mental frameworks that help people organise and understand information; they also allow you to predict what to do in certain situations.
Gender Schema theory
- 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.
Martin and Halverson:
Two types of sex-related schemas =
- “in group out-group” schema
- “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”.
What are the roles of gender schemas in a child’s development?
- 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).
Gender schemas at 6 years old:
Child has a rather fixed and stereotypical idea about what is appropriate for its gender
Gender schemas at 8 years old:
Gender schemas have become more complex
Gender schemas in late childhood/early adolescence:
Schemas become more flexible and children are not as likely to stick so rigidly to gender stereotypical behaviours.
How is Gender schema theory different to Kohlberg’s theory of gender development?
- It’s a cognitive-development theory of gender not a stage theory
- Gender schema theory unlike Kohlberg doesn’t suggest that children need to know that gender is permanent to develop gender schema.
