Approaches to Gender Development

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Approaches to Gender Development

• Nature vs. Nurture Part 1, Biological Explanations

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Theoretical Approaches to GenderA Review

• I. Theory a way to describe, explain,
  predict relationships
• A. Theories shape how we act expect others to
  act
• B. Theories also are practical
• 1. Use theories to make sense of behaviors
• 2. Theories about sex gender affect thoughts
  behaviors
• 3. Theories influence how see yourself
• 4. Theories help develop awareness

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Theoretical Approaches to Gender, cont.

• II Four basic types of gender theories,
  according to Wood
• A. Biological
• B. Social (interpersonal origins)
• C. Cultural influences
• D. Critical perspectives

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Biological Basis for Gender

• I. Biological characteristics a potential basis
  of gender differences
• A.  Sexual identity--determined through
  chromosomes, hormones, genitals, secondary
  sexual characteristics.
• 1.  Male or Female
• 2.  Intersexual (the "third sex")
• 3.  Transsexuals/transgendered
• (not the same as transvestite)

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Biological Theories of Gender, cont.

• B.  Sexual "orientation" or sexuality
• 1. Heterosexual
• 2. Homosexual
• 3. Bisexual
• 4. Sexuality assumed to be a psycho-social
  phenomenon (Freud said we all start out bisexual,
  with the potential to develop in any direction on
  a continuum of sexuality)
• 5. However, more recent research suggests that
  there may be a biological component to sexuality.

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Biological Theories of Gender, cont.

• C. Influence of sex chromosomes
• 1. Most females XX
• 2. Most males XY
• 3. Several genes controlling intelligence located
  only on X chromosome.
• 4. Primary gene responsible for social skills
  also only on X may be one reason women often
  more adept in social situations
• 4. Ys main function is to ensure that fetus
  develops into a male

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Biological Theories of Gender, cont.

• D. Role of hormonal activity
• 1. Both sexes have all three major hormones
  which cycle
• 2. Estrogenprimarily female (along with
  progestin)
• a. Produces good cholesterol
• b. Makes blood vessels more flexible
• c. Strengthens immune system
• d. Causes fat tissue to form around hips
• e. Impedes liver function
• f. In past, believed to protect women from heart
  disease

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Biological Theories of Gender, cont.

• 3. Androgens, esp. testosterone primarily male
• a. Testosterone leads to greater muscle mass
• b. Some suggest a link to aggression
• c. Some suggest explains more desire to dominate
  do risky behaviors
• 4. Hormones influence cognitive abilities
  presumed to explain why men more spatial, women
  more verbal
• 5. Mens hormonal change is more gradual than
  womens
• 6. Testosterone deficiency can lead to increased
  body fat, moodiness depression

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Biological Theories of Gender, cont.

• E. Gender differences in brain structure
  development
• 1. Each sex specializes in one side of brain.
• 2. Men have better developed left lobes
• a. Linear thinking
• b. Sequential information
• c. Spatial skills
• d. Abstract, analytical reasoning
• e. In addition, male amygdala is larger
  (controls emotions like anger fear)

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Biological Theories of Gender, cont.

• 3. Women have better developed right lobes
  other aspects of their brains
• a. Aptitude for imaginative artistic activity
• b. Holistic, intuitive thinking
• c. Visual spatial tasks
• d. Women use both sides for language tasks
• e. Womens prefrontal cortex larger (presumed to
  restrain aggression)
• r. Womens insula is larger (presumed to affect
  intuition empathy)

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Biological Theories of Gender, cont.

• 4. The Corpus Callosum links the two lobes of
  the brain
• 1) Women have greater ability to use
• 2) Men listen with left brain
• 3) Women listen with both sides
• 4) Men better able to use left side for
  directions
• 5) The fold of connecting tissue in corpus
  callosum (the splenium) is larger in women
  (presumed to lead to increased verbal abilities)

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II. Controversy about biological factors

• A. Some argue that biology determines abilities
  behaviors (fixed immutable)
• B. Others argue biology presents predispositions
  for behavior, which we can overrule through
  cultural conditioning.
• C.  Most valuable to see biology as another way
  to understand gender differences, an interaction
  between biology culture, instead of an
  either/or dichotomy (not nature vs. nurture, but
  a both/and condition).

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CONTROVERSY, CONT.

• D. Culturally influenced beliefs about gendered
  ability color the outcomes interpretations of
  such a study (e.g. Erickson's study).
• 1. Experimenter bias (a researcher looks at a
  problem in preconceived ways which are guaranteed
  to get the results seeking). 
• 2. Subject bias (answer the way the researcher
  expects)
• 3. Problems in research design (e.g. sampling
  errors, etc.).
• E. Wood notes that one criticism of biological
  theories is that they are general, not specific.

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Controversy, cont.

• F. Several studies produced inconclusive, even
  contradictory, results (e.g. studies on effects
  of testosterone on aggression).
• G. Biological sex actually is not a good
  predictor of cognitive abilities or intellectual
  capabilities.
• H. Kimura concluded that "biological sex itself
  has turned out to be much more variable and
  dynamic than we ever imagined
• I.  Philips notes that it is easy to use data
  that is fragmentary weakly established to
  continue sex discrimination.

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Controversy, cont.

• J.  Parlee observed that "the body of 'knowledge'
  developed by academic psychologists happened
  (apparently) to support stereotyped beliefs about
  the abilities and psychological characteristics
  of women and men, and such beliefs happen to
  support existing political, legal, and economic
  inequalities between the sexes.
• k. Yet an argument can be made that women are
  biologically superior to men, because women have
  a "genetic back-up system."