Explanations for Gender - BIOLOGICAL

Explanations for Gender - BIOLOGICAL

1. 4 main explanations for gender: 1. BIOLOGICAL (nature), 2. SLT (nurture), 3. PHYSCHODYNAMIC THEORY, 4. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENTAL

   • The biological approach see sex & gender as the SAME. Women have features used for carrying childreen so are natural arers, men have testosterone so they are more agressive and therefore the protectors/providers.
   • Biological theories assume that gender and sex are INTERRELATED. Any differences in gender behaviours are due to chromosome differences, which lead to difference in reproductive organs and hormones

2. Atypical Sex Chromosomes

   • KLIENEFELTERS SYNDROME (XXY). This is a chromosome disorder which affects males who have an extra X chromosome. These males have less body hair & under-developed genitals (leading to infertility). They can often have delayed language skills and are usually placid/calm/shy.
   • TURNERS SYNDROME (XO - missing chromosome) This occurs in females who are missing an X chromosome and this leads to a lack of ovaries, resulting i infertility. Turner's females also show webbing of the neck and lack of maturation at puberty. They have higher than average verbal ability but lower than average spatial skills, visual mem. and maths skills. They can have problems with social adjustment at school and can be oversensitive.
   • Physcologists are interested in studying people with atypical sex chromosomes as they compare development with people who have normal chromosome patterns and if their are any differences - physical, cognitive, social - then it suggests genetics (NATURE) can influence development. So similarly, genetics can influence gender development.

3. Testosterone

   • Testosterone influences the development of the male sex organs and also brain differences in males and females. In all humans the LEFT side of the brain is responsible for language and the right side for non-verbal and spatial skills. Females can use both sides of the brain at once, but men can't. High levels of testosterone are linked to aggression which explains why makes are more aggressive than females.
   • RESEARCH
     • DABBS - carried out a study to see if there is a link between type of crime and testosterone levels in prisoners. He took saliva samples from 629 prisoners then looked at the crimes they committed. He found high levels of teststerone were linked to criminals who carried out crimes involving sex/violence. This supports testosterone being linked to aggression.
       • HOWEVER the direction of CAUSE-EFFECT is unclear. It could be that behaving aggressively causes high levels of testosterone, rather than the reverse

4. Oestrogen

   • Oestrogen is a female hormone responsible for controlling periods and foetal development during pregnancy. Oestrogen can lead to PMS where women experience intense feelings of aggression due to hormonal imbalance.

5. Evidence SUPPORTING Biological Explanations for Gender

   • The Batista Family
     • This study involved 38 boys from 23 families who looked female at birth although they were XY chromosome. Due to genetic abnormality they failed to develop as males during pregnancy. During puberty they changed into males due to an increase in testosterone. This supposrts biological explanations as they successfully adapted to becoming male even though they had been brought up as girls (SUPPORTS NATURE)
       • HOWEVER the boys had a v. supportive environment (accepting community as it was seen as a change determined by God) which may have greatly helped the adjustment to beccomming male.
   • DR. MONEY TWIN STUDY
     • A healthy baby experienced severe damage to his penis during a circumcision operation. Dr Money advised his parents to raise him as a girl. The boy did not accept his life as a girl and was unhappy and returned to being male as an adult. This supports biological theories.

6. Evidence CHALLENGING Biological Explanations

   • The findings of Mead how that there are differences in behaviour of males and females in three different tribes (supports NURTURE)
   • Biological explanations under estimate the role of social factors in shaping gender development which SLT takes into account. SLT suggests we learn gender behaviour through observation & immitation of role models.