Gender
Behaviors, socially constructed roles, and psychological attributes associated with being male or female
Gender Assumptions
We make assumptions of people’s sex and how they behave due to their maleness or femaleness
Gender Identity
Each individual’s personal, subjective sense of being male or female
Gender Role
(Sex Role) refers to a collection of attitudes and behaviors considered normal in a specific culture for people of a particular sex
Gender Identity Formation
- 23 chromosomes in most human cells
- reproductive cells contain 22 autosomes plus a set of sex chromosomes
- each parent contributes one sex chromosome at conception
- results in a XX combination will be a female, and an XY combination will be a male
Gender Identity Formation (Continued)
- Y chromosome has a gene called SRY which is responsible for the development of the testes
- X chromosome has a gene called DSS which is responsible for the development of the ovaries
- ovaries produce estrogen and progestational compounds or progesterone
- testes produce androgens or testosterone
Hormonal Sex/Internal-External Reproductive Systems
- adrenal glands produce estrogen and androgens
- Mullerin ducts will develop into the Fallopian Tubes
- Wolffian ducts will develop into the Vas Deferens
- the glans will become the penis in makes and the clitoris in females
Normal Prenatal Differentiation
- sex differentiation in the brain; hypothalamus
- hypothalamus: allows pregnancy, direct production of sex hormones, and may influence sex differences and sexual functioning
- cerebral hemisphere, corpus callosum (allows connection with both sides of brain)
Atypical Prenatal Differentiation
- hermaphrodites; true and pseudo
- sex chromosome disorders
- Turner’s syndrome (X_)- losing a chromosome
- Klinefelter’s syndrome (XXY)- gaining a chromosome
Atypical Prenatal Differentiation (Continued)
- disorders affecting prenatal hormonal processes
- androgen insensitivity syndrome
- fatally androgenized females
- DHT: deficient males (don’t produce enough estrogen)
Social Influences on Learning in Gender
- age 3: firm gender identity
- mead, culture determines gender role
- long-term case studies (money)
- follow-up of money’s cases (diamond)
- long-term problems with surgical re-assignment
Interaction Model
- notice both nature and nurture
- relative roles are still unclear
Transsexual
Person whose gender identity is opposite to his or her biological sex (gender dysphoria)
Transgender
People whose appearance and/or behaviors do not conform to traditional gender roles (gender sexual disorder or DSM)
Options for transsexuals
- gender blending/cross-dressing
- psychotherapy
- sex reassignment
Gender Roles (not real definition)
- gender-based prototypes
- North American males: independent and aggressive
- North American females: no assertive, warm, and nurturing
- recent rend away from more rigid prototypes
- enormous ethnic variation in gender roles
Five Agents of Socialization
- parental expectations
- peers influence how child plays
- school teachers and textbooks
- television and gender-based prototypes
- religious training
U.S. Gender Role Expectations
- women under sexed,men oversexed
- men initiate, women recieve
- men as “Sexperts”
- men make the moves, women control
- men are unemotional and strong
- women are nurturing and supportive
Transcending Gender Roles: Androgyny
Benefits and drawbacks:
- good to be assertive and caring
- provides sexual flexibility, understanding, and ease in communication
- high levels of confidence and self-esteem
- reactions are typically negative and androgynous individuals in social intimate relationships
Sex
- our biological maleness or femaleness
- two types of biological sex; gender and anatomical
- genetic is by chromosomes
- anatomical is by physical differences between males and females
