Gender development

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Gender development

Sex versus Gender

- Genetic sex

what you are genetically

Morphological sex

- what you look like

Gender roles-cultural expectations about ways in which men and women should behave

Gender identity- one's private sense of male or female-ness

Gender stereotypes

-beliefs about differences in the behaviours, abilities and personality traits of males and females

The Development of Gender

18 months

-beginnings of gender typed preference

3 years

-knowledge of own gender

-preference for different toys and friends of own sex

-ability to assign gender to pictures is limited

5 years

-knowledge of gender constancy

Biological Explanations for Gender Differences

Exposure of the developing brain to male sex hormones has behavioural effects

eg.- Prenatal exposure to testosterone results in more “male-like” behaviour in females.

-Males deprived of prenatal testosterone behave more like females.

Physical aggression in males appears to be biologically predisposed.

The anatomy of the human brain shows some gender differences thought to be due to different patterns of hormone exposure during development.

Gender differences in cognitive ability (e.g., verbal and spatial ability) are at least partly due to differences in the brain.

Testosterone may also play a role in spatial ability • Males with low testosterone levels • Females with high testosterone levels • Testosterone fluctuations during the menstrual cycle

Environmental Explanations for Gender Differences

-propose that men and women have evolved to behave differently, depending their roles in society.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia

- where you are genetically female but are able to produce male hormones.

Morrongiello & Dawber, 1999 Examined mothers’ and fathers’ communications to sons and daughters aged 2-4 years: 1. during free play 2. when teaching a playground safety behaviour Mothers and fathers did not differ in their communications. Sons received more directives, fewer explanations, and more physical pressure than girls. -Parents communicate with young children in a way that may promote increased risk-taking by boys and greater perceived injury vulnerability among girls.

Environmental Explanations for Gender Differences

Smith and Lloyd (1978) Mothers of young infants introduced to a 6-month old infant and asked to play. Infant’s gender label was manipulated. Participants behaved differently according to the assigned gender label. -Even when there are no differences in appearance or outward behaviour, parents treat children according to gender label.

Weisner & Silson-Mitchell (1990) Parents who do not subscribe to gender differences in socialisation have children whose attitudes and behaviour reflect fewer gender stereotypes.

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