PMT Questions

Question 1

Briefly outline the biological explanation for gender identity disorder (2)

Answer 1

• over exposure (for females) or under exposure (for males) to androgens in the womb and consequent masculinisation or feminisation
• neurobiological abnormality resulting from either genes or pre-natal stress

Question 2

Explain two limitations of the biological explanation for gender identity disorder (6)

Answer 2

• reductionist explanation (difficulty showing cause and effect)
• limited evidence
• biological explanations would not support the lack of continuity between childhood gender identity disorder and gender identity disorder in adulthood (Drummond et al.)

Question 3

Discuss what psychological research has told us about atypical gender development (16)

Answer 3

• gender identity disorder (gender dysphoria) - mismatch between external sexual characteristics and psychological experience of self as male or female
• social explanations - operant conditioning and reinforcement
• identification, imitation, modelling: gender identity individuals lack stereotypical male role model (Rekers 1995)
• genetic explanation - twin evidence approx. 60-70% of variance in cross-gender behaviour due to genetic factors (Beijisterveldt 2006) (Coolidge 2002)
• correlation between gender identity disorder and variant of androgen receptor gene (Hare 2009)

Discussion:
- problems of research - social sensitivity
- counter to biological explanations experience of gender identity disorder for the majority is transient (few years only) - few hormonal differences between gender identity individuals and other men
- psychoanalytic theory doesn’t explain atypical development in females

Question 4

Name and briefly outline one syndrome associated with an atypical sex chromosome pattern (3)

Answer 4

• Klinefelter’s syndrome - sex chromosome pattern of XXY, associated with cognitive difficulties (e.g. dyslexia and behavioural passivity)
• Turner’s syndrome - sex chromosome pattern of Xo, associated with high level of verbal skill

Question 5

(a) Give one difference between males who have Klinefelter’s syndrome and males with typical sex chromosome patterns (1)

(b) Explain why psychologists study individuals with Klinefelter’s syndrome (2)

Answer 5

(a) differences in timing of language development

(b) for comparison with individuals with typical sex chromosome patterns. Inferences may be made of a chromosomal basis regarding gender development should there be differences found between atypical and typical sex chromosome individuals

Question 6

Identify and briefly explain one limitation of the biological approach to gender development (2)

Answer 6

Reductionist; crude to suggest differences in complexity of gender are a result of chromosomes

Question 7

Referring to the comments about Ben and Dido, outline Turner’s syndrome and Klinefelter’s syndrome (4)

Answer 7

• Ben is male; Klinefelter’s syndrome is a chromosomal disorder occurring in males with an extra X chromosome (XXY pattern)
• school problems referred to by Ben’s mum might include problems reading and writing
• Dido is female; Turner’s syndrome is a chromosomal disorder occurring in females with a missing X chromosome (XO pattern)
• effects at school mentioned by her mum might be good language skills/ reading

Question 8

Discuss biological and social learning explanations of gender development. Refer to evidence in your answer (16)

Answer 8

-biological; genetic factors cause gender-appropriate behaviour - gender and sex are interrelated; hormones, eg the influence of androgens and testosterone
- atypical sex chromosomes (syndromes); the effects these syndromes have on gender development

-SLT; the idea that gender behaviour is learned via observation in social contexts; the influence on gender development of cognitive processes including attention, retention and motivation, reproduction; modelling, Perry and Bussey (1979) and identification; imitation, Masters et al. (1979) and reinforcement, Fagot (1978)

A03:
-Money (1975) suggested nurture was responsible for gender development, therefore rejecting biology (nature). However, in a follow-up study, Diamond (1997), Brenda had never felt happy as a girl and resumed her masculine identity (nature), thereby supporting biological explanations