Gender - The Biosocial Approach to Gender Development

Question 1

What does the biosocial approach say about biological and social factors?

Answer 1

Combine to explain how gender role behaviour develops, biological traits can be changed by social factors to determine gender identity.

Question 2

What are the differences between men and women due to?

Answer 2

Social influences such as geography, conflict with neighbouring people, cultural and social structures and local traditions.

Question 3

How are gender roles firstly assigned?

Answer 3

Based on biological physical differences, e.g. men bigger and stronger. Biological difference may shape gender roles.

Question 4

How do psychological differences emerge?

Answer 4

As a result of social roles, e.g. testosterone is the result of males being aggressive due to engaging in aggressive behaviour and not the cause of the behaviour.

Question 5

What study supports the biosocial approach to gender development?

Answer 5

Wood and Eagley (2002)

Question 6

What did Wood and Eagley (2002) do?

Answer 6

Found that across non-industrial cultures, men did more the provide food. Across all cultures, women contributed more to childcare. Also found swing activities - predominantly male in some cultures, in others female.

Question 7

How does Wood and Eagley (2002) support the biosocial approach?

Answer 7

Shows division of labour is biological as males are physically stronger and also shows it is social as there are ‘swing activities’ suited for both men and women.

Question 8

What are the three commentary points on the biosocial approach?

Answer 8

Developed, industrialised cultures.
Times of conflict.
Lakota Tribe.

Question 9

What is the commentary on developed, industrialised cultures?

Answer 9

Can explain why gender role differences are not as pronounced in these cultures, e.g. women do not have to breastfeed due to an availability of milk substitute and so go to work effectively even when having a baby.

Question 10

What is the commentary on times of conflict?

Answer 10

During these times women are able to take on traditionally male roles. Biologically able to do these roles but socialised not to, showing influence of culture on gender roles.

Question 11

What is the commentary on the Lakota Tribe?

Answer 11

Shows how experience and social norms can lea to different outcomes in gender development since in places with more rigid social structures.

Question 12

What is Gender Dysphoria?

Answer 12

Condition where people feel they’re trapped in the body of wrong se. Gender identity does not match physical anatomy.

Question 13

How does the biosocial approach explain gender dysphoria?

Answer 13

Biological factor, e.g. brain structure, may pre-dispose child. BSTc fully developed by 5, influences sexual behaviour, different sizes in men/women. If males had smaller BSTc may make them behave more feminine, increase in unhappiness with own sex. Social factors interact such as lack of same sex role model, could lead to dysphoria.

Question 14

What are the three studies associated with Gender Dysphoria?

Answer 14

Reker (1986)
Zhou et al (1995)
Hulshoff Pol et al (1995)

Question 15

What happened in Reker (1986)?

Answer 15

36 boys who showed cross-gender identity, 75% of most disturbed and 21% least disturbed had no father figure. Where he was present, 60% described him as psychologically distant.

Question 16

How does Reker (1986) support the biosocial approach?

Answer 16

Demonstrates importance of family influecnes, i.e. lack of same-sex role model. Also highlights importance of social environment.

Question 17

What happened in Zhou et al (1995)?

Answer 17

Post mortems of 6 male-to-female transsexuals, found BSTc to be same size as biological females, supports role of biological factors.

Question 18

Evaluate Zhou et al (1995)

Answer 18

Validitiy of study - hard to disentangle effects of hormone therapy on size of BSTc. Sample size is only 6, calls into question reliability of study. Androcentric, only had male-to-female transsexuals.

Question 19

What happened in Hulshoff Pol et al (1995)?

Answer 19

Found P’s tested by Zhou et al (1995) had taken feminizing hormones, may have been cause of BSTc difference.

Question 20

What are the IDAs relevant to the Biosocial Approach and Gender Dysphoria?

Answer 20

Nature v Nurture

Socially Sensitive Research

Question 21

Is the Biosocial Approach a Nature or Nurture argument?

Answer 21

Interactionist thoery as it claims both biological and social factors combine. Biological factors such as BSTc differences and Social factors such as being positively reinforced for opposite sex behaviour, both contribute to gender dysphoria.

Question 22

What is the Biosocial Approach socially sensitive?

Answer 22

Blames parents for their childs gender dysphoria. A stable heterosexual relationship is seen as the ideal parental make-up, blames parents who do not fit this description. Additionally discriminates against parents who don’t provide the ideal environment and homosexual couples.