individual differences - gender Flashcards
Gender refers to:
the psychological or cultural aspects if maleness or femaleness.
Sex refers to:
the biological aspect of an individual for example a child’s sex is identified at birth by its genitals.
Gender differences:
(male) aggression, determined, sharp-witted (female) cautious, emotional, warm.
Biological factors:
chromosomes, hormones, brain differences.
Environmental factors:
social learning theory (Bandura, 1961), biosocial theory (Smith & Lloyd, 1978), cognitive development theory (Kolberg, 1966) and gender schema theory (Bem 1981).
Chromosomes are:
tiny, thread like structure inside most cells of every organism, or living thing, carry info unit genes. Sex is determined by chromosomes. Chromosomes carry info about the organism in units called genes. When living organisms reproduce, they pass their genes into their offspring.
Y chromosomes carry:
H-Y antigen causes embryonic gonads to transform into testes
Chromosomes crucial in:
sex development in pre-natal stages
Batista boys:
were born and raised as girls but at puberty became male due to mutated chromosome gene where the body misses a critical chemical step, so the external anatomy doesn’t change. Born with XY chromosomes (male) due to delayed development in womb born female. Testosterone during puberty triggered development.
Klienfelter syndrome:
male sex chromosome abnormality. Male inherit 1 or more X chromosomes making their genotype XXY/XXXY. Several cases males: higher pitched voices, asexual or feminine bodies, breast enlargement and little facial and body hair. Testes and prostate glands small producing small amounts of testosterone. Normal sexual functions, including erection and ejaculation
Hormones are:
chemicals that affect the development of sex organs and activity. Both sexes produce same hormones female oestrogen and progesterone and male androgen and testosterone.
Hormones affect:
primary sex characteristics (external appearance vag, penis horm imbalance = unclear) secondary at puberty (breast enlargement, hair, deep voice).
AIS is:
when a person who is genetically male ( 1 X and 1 Y chromosomes) is resistant to male hormones (called androgens).
Hormones influence:
brain development in womb. Difference in ‘brain road maps’ explain why males outperform females on certain mental skills whereas females have the edge in other skills. Women have more connection L to R handing logical thinking and intuition whereas male front and back motor and spatial skills.
David Reimer:
was born a boy XY, 7 months malfunction circumcision burnt off his penis. Turned into a girl Brenda nurtured as a girl (girls clothes, dolls, makeup). As she grew up tomboy preferring twin brothers toys. At age 13 found out truth had reconstructive surgery at 14 named David was happier male. Case shows significance of biological approach to gender and the importance of chromosomes on ones gender identity and nature more important than nurture.
Environmental Argument:
gender roles are influenced by the media, family, environment, and society. In addition to biological maturation, children develop within a set of gender-specific social and behavioral norms embedded in family structure, natural play patterns, close friendships, and the social life of school.
Social learning theorist:
Albert Bandura 1961
Social learning theory highlights the importance of:
observing, modelling, imitating behaviours, attitudes and emotional reactions of others. SLT considers how environmental and cognitive factors influence human learning and behaviours. According to Bandura people observe behaviours social interactions others or indirectly through media. Rewarded actions imitated punished avoided. Children imitate similar same sex powerful. All learning is result of experience with environment association & reinforcement.
1961 to 1963 Bandura found:
boys more likely imitate aggressive models than girls. Further research found children imitate same-sex model than an opposite-sex model. Also found 1997, that observing others behave certain imitate same behaviours, reinforcement (parent & teachers) sex appropriate.
Strength of social learning theory:
emphasises contribution of social environment to the difference in children’s learning and behaviours with the theory stating “children learning social contacts”
Limitations of social learning theory:
doesn’t take into account child development and how the progression of learning and growth is chronological or age dependant.
Cognitive development theory:
Kolberg 1966
Concept of cognitive development theory:
when child understands concept of gender they behave appropriate way, based on societies obligated gender roles. From age 2 child understands what gender label applies, child able to understand sex and gender and apply to others resulting in gender identity. From age 4 child understand stay gender throughout life however deceived into believing sex has changed based on appearance this is gender stability. From age 6 a child will understand that they stay same gender as do others this is gender constancy.
Sandra Bem (1989) conducted study:
with young children 6 ability to distinguish between gender stability and gender constancy. She gave children pictures of young male and female toddlers with no clothes on the lower part of their bodies. It was clear which sex the children were because of their genitals.
