Sex differences and gender development Flashcards
What is meant by sex differences
Biological differences (mediated through hormones)
What is meant by gender roles?
Behaviours etc. considered appropriate for males/females
What is meant by gender typing?
Process of adopting the behaviours and values culturally appropriate for males/females
What is meant by gender role stereotypes?
Beliefs about characteristics for males/females - for adults AND children
What develops in terms of gender at 1 year?
Movement: boys look more at boys moving (think the reflections of movement) and vice verca
girls: shorter steps more hips swinging and fluid movement
boys: bend from waist (girls from knees)
What develops at 2 year?
Understanding of gender identity: identifies themselves (and others) as males/females
Behaviours: boys - trucks and cars girls - dolls and soft toys
Beliefs: stereotypical (refuses to play with gender inappropriate toys)
What develops at 3-4 year?
understand gender stability: ie that sex is permanent
behaviours: gender-typed roles (ie dolls vs tumble play) –> stereotypical beliefs about what genders do
What develops at 5+?
Beliefs about what genders are like (ie boys tough girls soft-hearted)
behaviours: prefer same sex
Stereotypical beliefs peak around 7 years of age
What are the 3 theories of how gender develops?
Socialisation: gender-typed behaviour –> gender knowledge (child is passive)
Cognitive: gender knowledge –> gender behaviour (child is active)
Biological (genetic): biological bias for gender differences influenced by socialisation
Describe socialisation in terms of gender
tought by reinforcement/modelling of gender behaviour
evidence for: differential treatment from birth etc
evidence against: reinforcement weak and doesn’t account for early differentiation
What is the cognitive developmental theory?
Gender concept (understanding) underpins behaviour (Kohlberg)
Evidence for: level of understanding correlates with behaviour
Evidence against: gender preferences shown very early (ie before understanding)
What is the gender schema theory?
socialisation and cognition (schemas and scripts (routines) not concept) play a part (Martin)
What’s said about the impacts of genetics?
Y chromosome instigates switching of male hormone (3-8 months in pregnancy) –> affects physical and brain organisation
Evidence: testosterone levels correlate with things such as vocabulary
