Week 9: Gender Development Flashcards
What is sex?
assigned sex at birth
What is gender?
characteristics that may be the result of developmental and social experiences
What are sex differences?
a difference between assigned males and females that is based on chromosomes (ex: woman have a uterus, males dont)
What are gender differences?
a difference between genders that is thought to be based on mainly cultural and social factors (boys play with trucks and girls play with barbies is an example)
What is a gender role?
a set of shared cultural expectations that outlines the attitudes and behaviours an individual should display
Is gender a basic category that helps adolescents understand themselves and others?
YES
What is gender typing?
When children come to take on their gender roles that are EXPECTED in their society
From the moment of conception, males and females are different genetically. Why and provide an example.
- HORMONES!!! –> organize the structure and functions of body
ex: high levels of prenatal testosterone in the 8th week = male seeming genitals
low levels of testosterone “”” = female seeming genitals
Can levels of testosterone differ from sex prenatall?
yes
If a female fetus is exposed to high levels of testosterone prenatally, will she be more likely to play with masculine toys or feminine toys?
masculine toys
What is congenital adrenal hyperplasia?
exposure of high levels of androgens that “masculinize” parts of the brain
- lead to identifying with typical male roles
Does socialization play a role in gender development? If so how?
YES!
- parents/teachers/siblings/peers serve as MODELS of gender-linked attitudes and behaviours
- praise that is direct or indirect for gender-appropriate/inappropriate behaviours
- media
Does socialization of gender roles begin before birth? If so, how?
YES!
- decor, clothing, toys
ex: girls wear pink/boys wear blue, girls play with dolls/boys play with trucks
What is one social theory that explains gender development?
- Banduras social Cognitive theory
What is Banduras social cognitive theory in relation to gender development?
personal factors that interact with learned behaviours and social influences to produce tendencies to act certain ways
OBSERVATION LEADS TO LEARNING!!!***
we create our own personal set of gender role standards that override what we see from others
ex: not rolling in mud just because she was told it’s “unlady like” is not going to stop her
What 2 cognitive theories is in relation to Gender Development?
Kohlberg and Gender Identity
Gender Schema Theory (by Martin and Halvorsen)
What is Kohlberg and Gender identity theory in 3 stages?
- Basic gender identity (label boy or girl)
- gender stability (stable over time )
- gender consistency (stable across situations)
What is Gender identity in Kohlbergs theory?
Child has an understanding of boy and girl labelling
What is Gender stability in Kohlbergs theory?
Child has an understanding of boy and girl and aware that it is FIXED/ doesn’t change and will remain male/female when older
What is Gender consistency in Kohlberg’s theory?
stable across situations
when the child understands that cosmetic changes will not alter sex
For example, a girl wearing jeans is still female