Gender: Roles of Genes and Hormones Flashcards
Biological sex is determined by what?
Biological sex is determined by genes, which are on chromosomes.
Humans have how many pairs of chromosomes?
Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes.
What chromosomes do men have?
Men possess XY chromosomes.
What chromosomes do women have?
Women possess XX chromosomes.
What does chromosomal sex control?
Chromosomal sex controls whether an embryo will develop ovaries or testes.
What does the SRY gene do?
The SRY gene, also known as the Y chromosome, possessed only by males, will cause the gonad to develop into testes.
How will a female develop ovaries?
A female’s gonad will develop into ovaries due to a lack or absence of the SRY gene.
What do the external genitalia do?
External genitalia strongly influences gender development, through the effects of the hormones which they produce and due to psychological and social factors.
Name a study that supports the idea that genes influence our Gender
Money and Ehrhardt
What did Money and Earhardt find?
They claimed that the sex that the child is reared as, is more important than their chromosomal sex. They believed that inter-sex individuals could be successfully raised as either a girl or a boy, and that biological males could be raised as girls, and biological females as boys.
Which study counters the claims Money and Earhardt made?
The Case study of David Reimer
How does the case study of David Reimer counter the claims of Money and Earhardt
David Reimer was raised as a girl since the accident, and reverted to being a boy as soon as he found out his original Gene, which disproves the claim Money put forward and the notion that Genes directly influence somebody’s gender.
What also affects gender development?
Hormones
Name an Androgen and describe what it does in gender development
Androgens (male hormones) such as testosterone stimulate the development of male sex organs.
Describe how Androgens can influence female development
Genetic females who are exposed prenatally to high levels of androgens may therefore develop ambiguous genitalia and the baby may appear externally to be male.