Gender - nature explanation Flashcards
biological approach to gender beliefs
sex and gender are the same. ‘anatomy is destiny’
female chromosomes
XX
male chromosomes
XY
male development
Y chromosome carries the SRY gene. produces TDF protein which causes testes to grow and become male. testes produce androgens and causes male genitalia to grow. testosterone alters brain organisation to ‘male pattern’ e.g. in hypothalamus
female development
no SRY gene so no high levels of androgens -> development of Mullerian system and being female
most known androgen
testosterone
which sex produces more oxytocin
female
puberty’s effect on hormones
after around 10 yrs, hypothalamus releases 2nd round of hormones -> affects anterior pituitary gland and causes gonads to become active and causes dev. of secondary sexual characteristics
Batista family case study (1974, Dominican Republic)
10 children w very small male genitals
- raised as girls despite XY chromosomes
- puberty = regular sized male genitals
- relatively easy adaptation to new gender
- supports that gender is due to nature
role of testosterone
- produced more in men
- controls dev. of male sex organs and secondary sexual characteristics
- linked to aggression
role of oestrogen
- dev. of female secondary sexual characteristics
- linked to heightened emotionality and irritability during menstrual circle
role of oxytocin
- facilitates mother-baby bonding
- related to orgasm and fast wound healing
- promotes feelings of bonding in both men and women
- reduces cortisol and dampens fight or flight response
Young et al (1964)
female monkeys injected with male hormones during pre-natal development = more rough and tumble play in comparison to female counterparts
Vandenbergh (2003)
rat foetuses line up like peas in a pod. females next to males = exposed to more testosterone than their sisters and showed more masculine behaviour
Erhardt and Money (1967)
gave women carrying girls male hormones = girls showing more tomboyish behaviour. carrying boys female hormones = less rough and tumble play. higher than usual ‘cross-gender behaviour’
SDN
sexually dimorphic nucleus -> different in brain between sexes (larger in males). transgender SDN same as gender rather than sex
David Reimer (John Money case study)
Bruce raised as Brenda due to castration at young age, never felt comfortable as girl. told assigned sex around 13 yrs old. living as male again almost straight away.
strengths of nature explanation of gender
+ Reimer case study shows nature outweighed nurture
+ Van Goozen (1995). transgender women taking oestrogen = decrease in aggression and visuo-spatial skills. men showed opposite
+ Gorski found structural diff. in brains of male/female rats. SDN. prenatal exposure to androgens = larger SDN? account for behavioural differences?
limitations of nature explanation of gender
- case studies and animal studies lack generalisability
- reductionist
- if gender was purely down to biology, we would expect to see a lot more differences between gender than we do
- contradictory evidence. 43 males given injection of testosterone vs placebo. no difference in behaviour so testosterone doesn’t play role in behaviour
Klinefeter’s syndrome
XXY - 1% of population, appear male, often goes undiagnosed
Turner’s syndrome
X - 1 in 2000 girls, infertile, pre-pubescent appearance
