PAPER 3 - Gender Flashcards
What is the definition of SEX ?
the BIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCE between male and female including chromosomes, hormones and anatomy
What are the MALE chromosomes ?
XY
What are the FEMALE chromosomes ?
XX
What is the definition of GENDER ?
PSYCHOLOGICAL and CULTURAL difference between male and females including attitudes, behaviour and social roles
What influences gender ?
social norms and cultural expectations (ENVIRONMENT)
What is INTERSEX ?
child is inadvertently exposed to HORMONAL IMBALANCES in the womb
- genitals appear neither obviously male or female
How many people experience intersex ?
1 in 2000 babies are born with some level of intersex
What is the definition of SEX-ROLE STEREOTYPES ?
a set of beliefs and PRECONCEIVED IDEAS about what is expected for males and females in a GIVEN SOCIETY
Give an example of a sex-role stereotype with no basis
women love shopping and men hate it
Give an example of a sex-role stereotype that is backed by biology
women are better at multi-tasking
What is the definition of ANDROGYNY ?
displaying a BALANCE of masculine and feminine CHARACTERISTICS in one’s personality
(someone who cannot be identified as male or female)
What is the BSRI ?
the first SYSTEMATIC attempt to measure androgyny using a rating scale of 60 traits
What are the STRENGTHS of the BSRI ?
- VALIDITY
- RELIABILITY
- PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
What are the WEAKNESSES of the BSRI ?
- CULTURAL ISSUES
- TEMPORAL VALIDITY
- ETHNOCENTRIC
What is the definition of CHROMOSOMES ?
they are found in the NUCLEUS of living cells and CARRY INFORMATION in the form of GENES; the 23rd pair = biological sex
What are chromosomes made of ?
DNA - genes are short sections of DNA
What is the definition of HORMONES ?
a CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE circulated in the blood that controls and REGULATES the activity of certain cells and organs
What is the definition of TESTOSTERONE ?
a hormone from the ANDROGEN group that is produced mainly in the MALE TESTES
What is the definition of OESTROGEN ?
the primary female hormone, which plays an important role on the MENSTRUAL CYCLE and REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
What is the definition of OXYTOCIN ?
a hormone, which causes the UTERUS TO CONTRACT during labour and stimulates LACTATION
What are the STRENGTHS of the role of chromosomes and hormones ?
- SUPPORT RESEARCH (Dr. Money)
- SUPPORT RESEARCH (Van Goozen)
- SUPPORT RESEARCH (Dabbs)
What are the WEAKNESSES of the role of chromosomes and hormones ?
- CONFLICTING EVIDENCE (Tricker)
- CONFLICTING EVIDENCE (Maccoby & Jacklin)
- POPULATION VALIDITY
What is the definition of ATYPICAL SEX CHROMOSOME ?
any sex chromosome pattern that DEVIATES from the usual XX or XY formation
What are the two types of atypical sex chromosome combinations ?
klinefelter’s syndrome
turner’s syndrome
What is KLINEFELTER’S SYNDROME ?
- affects 1:1000 males
- XXY chromosomes
- 47 chromosomes instead of 46
What are the PHYSICAL characteristics of Klinefelter’s syndrome ?
- reduced body hair
- some breast development
- underdeveloped genitals
- more prone to breast cancer
What are the PSYCHOLOGICAL characteristics of Klinefelter’s syndrome ?
- poor memory
- poor problem solving
- don’t respond well in stressful situations
What is TURNER’S SYNDROME ?
- affects 1:2000 women
- only have one X chromosome
- 45 chromosomes rather than 46
What are the PHYSICAL characteristics of Turner’s syndrome ?
- no menstrual cycle
- do not develop breasts
- hips similar size to breast
What are the PSYCHOLOGICAL characteristics of Turner’s syndrome ?
- high than average reading ability
- lower mathematical skills
- struggle with visual tasks
What is Kohlberg’s cognitive explanation of gender development ?
- gender knowledge develops in the same way as all knowledge
- through INTERACTION with the world
- universal
According to Kohlberg what is the FIRST stage of gender knowledge ?
GENDER IDENTITY (2-3 years)
What occurs in the GENDER IDENTITY stage ?
- label others
- judgements based on external features
- do not understand gender is permanent
According to Kohlberg what is the SECOND stage of gender knowledge ?
GENDER STABILITY (4-6 years)
What occurs in the GENDER STABILITY stage ?
- gender is fixed
- can be confused by external changes e.g. woman wears trousers
According to Kohlberg what is the THIRD stage of gender knowledge ?
GENDER CONSTANCY (7-12 years)
What occurs in the GENDER CONSTANCY stage ?
- changes in appearance does not mean change in gender
- start to learn gender appropriate behaviour
What does the GENDER SCHEMA THEORY (gst) suggest as a cognitive explanation of gender development ?
- children are MOTIVATED to acquire knowledge
- earlier age than Kohlberg suggested
- develop understanding ACTIVELY rather than passively
According to the GST, at what age to children have a rigid idea of gender ?
3 years
According to the GST, where do children gain schemas from ?
- adults
- peers
- media
= schemas are related to cultural norms
What is the FIRST stage in the GST ?
- in-group and out-group
- in-group puts down out-group to raise self esteem
- girls will say boys are nasty and girls who play with boys are teased
What is the SECOND stage in GST ?
- child forms own-schema
- based on behaviours that are appropriate for them
- develop with experience
- “a doll is for a girl” –> “i am a girl, the doll is for me”
What is the THIRD stage in GST ?
- beliefs are resilient
- ignore info that is not consistent with in-group info
What does the PSYCHODYNAMIC EXPLANATION suggest about gender development ?
- children pass through 5 stages (OAPLG)
- gender occurs in 3rd stage (phallic)
- 3-6 years
- before this children are bi-sexual
What is the OEDIPUS COMPLEX ?
- incestuous feeling towards mother
- jealous of father
- fear of castration from father
- resolve anxiety = give up love for mother and IDENTIFY with FATHER
What is the ELECTRA COMPLEX ?
- double resentment for mother
- love rival & castrated in the womb = penis envy
- substitute penis envy for desire to have children
- thus IDENTIFY with MOTHER
What is the IDENTIFICATION phase in the psychodynamic explanation ?
identify with same-sex parent as it resolves their respective complexes
What is the INTERNALISATION phase in the psychodynamic explanation ?
- adopt the attitudes of the same-sex parent and take on their gender identity
- boys and girls receive a ‘second-hand’ gender identity at the end of the phallic stage
What does the SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY (slt) suggest as a theory of gender development ?
- learned form observing and imitating other people
- NUTURE
- 4 mediational processes
What are the 4 MEDIATIONAL PROCESSES in SLT ?
- attention
- retention
- motor reproduction
- motivation
What is ATTENTION in relation to gender ?
- pay attention to behaviour
- watch mum doing the ironing)
What is RETENTION in relation to gender ?
- retain and reproduce the information they have observed
- remember what she was doing when she was ironing
What is MOTIVATION in relation to gender ?
- hearing dad thanking mum for ironing shirt
- direct or indirect reinforcement increases motivation e.g. being praised for ‘being just like mummy’
What is MOTOR REPRODUCTION in relation to gender ?
- physically capable to reproduce behaviour
- copy the action by ironing dolls clothes with toy iron
What is IDENTIFICATION ?
the extent to which we relate to a model
more likely to copy behaviour of models we identify with
What is INDIRECT REINFORCEMENT ?
copying a role model who they have seen being rewarded for their behaviour
What is DIRECT REINFORCEMENT ?
being praised for demonstrating a behaviour they have observed
What is DIFFERENTIAL REINFORCEMENT ?
they way in which boys and girls are encouraged to show DISTINCT GENDER-APPROPRIATE behaviour
