Role Of Chromosomes And Hormones In Sex And Gender- Bio Approach

Question 1

What is sex identity

Answer 1

The biological status of being male/female

Question 2

What is gender identity

Answer 2

Our sense of being male/female

Question 3

What are chromosomes and which one determines biological sex

Answer 3

Found in the nucleus of living cells carrying info in the form of genes, 23rd pair of chromosomes determines biological sex

Question 4

What is a hormone

Answer 4

A chemical substance circulated in the blood that controls and regulates the activity of certain cells or organs

Question 5

What is chromosomal structure for females

Answer 5

XX

Question 6

Chromosomal structure for males

Answer 6

XY

Question 7

What determines baby’s sex

Answer 7

By the sex chromosome the sperm cell carries that fertilises the egg

Question 8

What gene does the Y chromosome carry that determines sex

Answer 8

Sex determining region (SRY), causes testes to develop in an XY embryo and testes produce androgens (male sex hormones) which cause embryo to become male, those without androgens develop into a female

Question 9

Role of hormones

Answer 9

Influence gender, in the womb hormones act upon brain development and cause the reproductive organs to develop and cause secondary sexual characteristics

Question 10

What are secondary sexual characteristics

Answer 10

Eg menstruation and voice breaks due to burst of hormonal activity in puberty

Question 11

What is testosterone and it’s role in gender and sex

Answer 11

Male hormone which controls the development of male sex organs
-associated with aggressive behaviour eg Nanne Van de Poll found female rats injected with testosterone were more physically and sexually aggressive

Question 12

What is oestrogen

Answer 12

Female hormone that determines female sexual characteristics and menstruation
-causes some women to experience heightened emotionality during menstrual cycle (pre-menstrual syndrome)

Question 13

What is oxytocin

Answer 13

Hormone which causes contraction of the uterus during labour and stimulated lactation
-reduces stress hormone cortisol and facilitates bonding, fuelled stereotype that men less interested in intimacy

Question 14

Expand on strength that there’s research support from human studies

Answer 14

-Dabbs et al found in a prison population offenders with the highest levels of testosterone were more likely to have committed violent or sexually motivated crimes
-Van Goozen studied transgender individuals undergoing hormone treatment being injected with hormones of opposite sex, found transgender women showed decreased in aggression and visuospatial skills whilst transgender men showed the opposite
-research seems to suggest sex hormones do exert some influence on gender-related behaviours

Question 15

Expand on strength that there’s evidence from animal studies and however point

Answer 15

-shown female rats stopped displaying caring behaviour towards their babies while given a drug to stop oxytocin and oestrogen productions
-in addition castrated male mice reduced aggressive biting that returned to normal levels when injected with testosterone, same aggressive behaviour true when female mice given testosterone injections
-suggests hormonal changes result in changes to sex-typed behaviour
H: animal studies, ignores complex cognitive schemas, culture and socialisation in humans so may tell us little about how chrs and hormones influence gender related behaviour in humans

Question 16

Expand on weakness that there is contradictory evidence

Answer 16

-double blind study conducted by Tricker in which 43 males given either a weekly injection of testosterone or a placebo, no significant differences in aggression found after the ten week period between the two groups
-challenges role of hormones in gender related behaviours

Question 17

Expand on limitation that approach is biologically reductionist

Answer 17

-reduces gender to the level of chromosomes and hormones therefore ignoring environmental factors such as socialisation
-cognitive approach would draw attention to the changing thought processes that underpin gender development even though these may come about through maturation of the developing brain they are not adequately explained by the biological model
-not complete explanation of all influences affecting gender related behaviour