the role of chromosomes AO3

Question 1

validity of the research

Answer 1

• conducted on animals or based on case studies
• problem with generalising the result of animal studies to humans = brain functioning of animals is much more simplistic than humans
• human behaviour is influenced culture + socialisation = hormones have less of an influence on behaviour
• case studies = cant generalise results to wider population = may be something specific about the situation/findings

Question 2

reductionist

Answer 2

• reduces gender role behaviour down to a single hormone
• too simplistic
• hormones involve other actions = difficult to pin point the hormone itself as the sole cause of the behaviour
• over emphasis on nature

Question 3

supporting research David Reimer

Answer 3

• Reimer lost his penis as a baby = in a medical accident
• raised as a girl
• Reimer was never comfortable in the female role and suffered severe psychological problems
• age 14 he decided to revert back to being male
• Reimers brain was masculine in the womb = testosterone production
• he was pre-programmed to be male and socialisation was unable to override this

Question 4

supporting research McGinley 1974

Answer 4

• studied 37 children in the domincan republic who inherited a mutant recessive gene
• born with female genitals = bought up as girls even though had XY chromosomes
• puberty = surge in testosterone levels, led to the production of a male hormone lead to masculinisation and the sudden development of male genitals.
• people reported no difficulty in adopting the male gender despite being reared as girls.
• suggests that the role of socialisation was overridden by biological factors