Module: Developmental Psychology

1
Module Developmental Psychology

• Lecture Gender Development Gender Identity
• Lecturer Dr Lovemore Nyatanga
• e-mail l.nyatanga_at_derby.ac.uk

2
Learning outcomes

• What is gender identity
• How does gender identity develop
• Outline at least two theories of gender
  development
• Examine some ways in which biology may determine
  gender differences

3
What is gender identity

• Gender is the primary category by which
  individuals identify themselves as well as being
  identified by others.
• Gender identity is the individuals subjective
  sense of belonging to the male or female category
  or indeed neither of the two

4
Gender identity (continued)

• Gender may determine self concept and self esteem
• Gender may determine the talents that are
  cultivated/encouraged (boys vs girls knowledge
  skills)
• Biologically sex differences may also determine
  traits (e.g. mood, hairy patterns longevity).

5
Sex identity

• Sex means biological maleness/femaleness
• Genetic sex denotes chromosomes (xy xx)

6
Boy girl as (psycho-social)
7
Sex as identity

• Anatomical sex denotes the physical sex features
• Gender therefore becomes the psycho-social
  meaning attached to the biological maleness
  femaleness

8
Gender Dysphoria

• Crossdressing
• Transsexuality
• Gender Identity Disorder (GID)
• Hormones sex reassignment surgery
• Other gender variant issues

9
Gender dysphoria

• When sex identity is in conflict with gender
  identity (biological vs psycho-social identity)
• Sex identity is given genetic while gender
  identity roles are culturally constructed.
• The tension between the two may be the essence of
  gender dysphoria

10
Transitionmadeleine_at_cinematter.com.
http//www.cinematter.com/madeleine.html
11
Development of gender identity

• Bee (1998) suggests 3 stages
• Gender identity 1-3 yrs
• Gender stability 3 - 4 yrs
• Gender constancy 5 - 6 yrs

12
Theories of gender identity
13
Gender schema theory

• Links cognitive development with social learning
  theory in the sense that schemas are socialised
  cognitive networks of sex gender roles
• People with high gender schemas are more prone to
  stereotypic perception behaviour
• High schemas facilitate the creation of cognitive
  heuristics (gender stereotypes gender values.

14
Social learning theory

• Almost from birth children are treated in gender
  specific ways (e.g birth day cards dress)
• Parents society reinforce gender specific
  behaviours attitudes
• Boys and girls imitate males females
  respectively

15
Identity constructed theory

• This theory emphasises the individuals sense of
  commitment to a gender category.
• The gender category may conflict with social
  norms (McManus 1999) - may lead to gender
  dysphoria

16
Enculturated-lens theory

• Development of gender identity is embedded in
  socio-historical context of each culture
• Culture operates as lens through which gender
  identity gender roles are defined passed on
  as memes of behaviour
• Androgyny is the socialised freedom to identify
  with male or female roles (Bem 1993).

17
Biological theory of gender identity

• Biologists argue that males with Klinefelters
  syndrome females with Turners syndrome have a
  very different gender identity
• Intersexed infants (born with both male female
  genitals) may have to decide which gender
  category they belong

18
Biological theory continued

• Biological characteristics may partly explain
  gender differences
• Hormonal activities tend to influence mind and
  body (e.g. aggression emotionality)
• Oestrogen (associated with xx) may be a
  protective hormone associated with longevity
• Oestrogen may also be associated with the slow
  processing of alcohol quicker intoxication

19
Male Testosterone baldness

• The Tight Galea Theory (Engstrand 2003)
  suggests testosterone influx at puberty may be
  responsible for the thickening lack of
  elasticity of skull membrane known as the galea.
• The thickness in-elasticity of the galea
  constricts blood flow to hair follicles resulting
  in partial or total baldness
• There are other hairless theories

20
Recommended reading

• Bee, H. (1998) Lifespan development (chapter 8)
• McManus, B.F. (1999) Theories about the
  construction of gender identity accessed on the
  Internet on 29 November 2003_at_
• http//www..cnr.edu/home/bmcmanus/socialization.ht
  ml
• http//www.psych.westminster.edu/womenpsych-ws/chi
  ld.htm
• Bem, S., L. (1993) The lenses of gender. Yale
  University Press New Haven