Gender (B1)

How is an individuals biological sex determined? What are gonads? At 6 weeks all foetuses contain non identical/identical gonads? The Mullerian system has the potential to develop into male/female sex organs? The wolffian system has the potential to develop into male/female sex organs? When in the foetuses development do the gonads become testes and set the path for male development? If testes are present _____ are released and the ______ system develops The two different hormones responsible for masculinisation are? Fathers sperm (x for boy) (y for girl) Sex glands - identical F (uterus/fallopian tubes) M (seminal ducts) 6 week Androgens wolffian system Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone DHT

Gender behaviour Prenatally it is thought that testosterone and dihydrotestosterone influence the brain. Explain the difference in the sexually dimorphic nucleus in males and females Testosterone effects the brain by…. Twice - Located in the hypothalamus ANS (Swabb and Fliers, 1985) Slowing down and speeding up areas of the brain. Right brain (spatial tasks) sped up in males.

Gender behaviour Hormones occur in both males and females - Hormones have a different effect on the brain and body in males and females Testosterone - causes development of male sex organs. Acts upon the hypothalamus which results in the masculinisation of the brain. Testosterone can cause typically male behaviors such as aggression, competitiveness, visio-spatial abilities, higher sexual drive etc. An area of the hypothalamus at the base of the brain called the sexually dimorphic nucleus (SDN) is much larger in male than in females. Twice - Located in the hypothalamus ANS (Swabb and Fliers, 1985) Slowing down and speeding up areas of the brain. Right brain (spatial tasks) sped up in males.

Evidence Imagine you are investigating the role of nature v nurture in gender. Before we start to look at evidence…… What difficulties do you think psychologists face when studying the role of genes and hormones in gender? Discuss in pairs and write answer down on a mini-whiteboard.

Research activity In groups share your points on the research study. Reimer Baron-Cohen Diamond You will present the research back grounding the theory to sex and gender and providing any evaluation points for the group

IDA Which issues, debates and approaches could we use to evaluate this explanation of gender? List them on your paper

Let’s focus on nature nurture The Point: The explanation falls on the _____________ side of the __________ ____________ debate Explain the Point: This is because the explanation is presuming that gender is caused entirely by … So What? The problem is that it is difficult to establish the exact role that genes and hormones play in gender. This is because… Therefore, the evidence tends to be based on… This is problematic because….

Let’s focus on nature nurture The Point: The explanation falls on the nature side of the nature nurture debate Explain the Point: This is because the explanation is presuming that gender is caused entirely by … biological factors, in this case the specific role of genes and hormones and how they shape gender, rather than looking at environmental or psychological factors So What? The problem is that it is difficult to establish the exact role that genes and hormones play in gender. This is because… it is not possible to separate nature from nurture when investigating the role of genes and hormones. Therefore, the evidence tends to be based on case studies, or animal studies. This is problematic because….

In groups on your whiteboard write one DETAILED IDA point. AQA A say…. Explain how and why the IDA is relevant Explain the consequences and implications Consider negative and positive consequences where appropriate Make sure the material is relevant to the question In groups on your whiteboard write one DETAILED IDA point.

Biosocial approach… what is it?

The biosocial approach This approach focuses on the interaction between biological and social factors in explaining gender Biology is the foundation on which social factors are built The inborn traits and characteristics of a newborn baby (including their sex) affect the way that carers behave towards them Therefore carers behave in different ways depending on whether the baby is male or female The child’s gender identity is therefore consistent with the way that the child has been raised, and how they are raised is usually subtly different for boys and girls

Prenatal: exposure to hormones on the womb. It states that biology caused by genetics, XY for a boy and XX for a girl will give them a physical sex. Postnatal: Parents and others label and react towards a child on the basis of his or her genitals. Parents and other people label and begin to react to the child based on his or her genitals. It is when their sex has been labelled through external genitals, they gender development will begin. The social labeling of a baby as a boy or girl leads to different treatment which produce the child\s sense of gender identity. Western Societies view gender as having two categories, masculine and feminine, and see man and women as different species.

The biosocial approach Molly Jarad Answer the following questions for each child: What Hormones are produced at puberty: Reproductive organs:  Describe how their bedroom may be decorated: What kind of toys are likely to be bought for them? What words are likely to be used to describe them? What games might their parents play with them?

Research How does the evidence support/challenge the biosocial approach? Write a paragraph. Include one study that supports the biosocial approach and one study that goes against the biosocial approach. Make sure to ground the research. Smith & Lloyd (1978) Moss (1967) David Reimer

Research Smith and Lloyd (1978) study supports the biosocial approach. The findings showed that the adults used social cues such as the babies gender name to influence how they interacted with babies with the perceived ‘boys’ being treated more vigorously than the perceived ‘girls’. This study highlighting the important interaction biological sex and social context have in gender development. However a case study on David Reimer (Money, 1965) purported for the importance genes and hormones play in gender development. Money found that…. This challenges the biosocial approach ….. Money’s (1965) case study on David Reimer has low reliability. Research looking into the biosocial approach as an explanation to gender development has high reliability (Smith & Lloyd 1978, Shaffer, 2004) strengthening the argument that gender is determined by both biological and social factors working in conjunction.

Relevant evaluation points for biosocial- Good or bad? Generalisability Socially sensitive Determinism Reductionist/ holistic Nature vs nurture

Determinism….. Reduces individual responsibility over gender. This is a… Suggests gender is predictable. This is a…. Suggests individuals are passive in their gender identity and do not respond actively to internal and external influences. This…..

Example of a relevant IDA The Point: The theory _____ determinist. Explain the Point: This is because….. So What? This could be considered a ________ of the approach as… This could lead to….. However it is not considering…..

Example of a relevant IDA Individually write out your own IDA point As a group take the best from each and write modal IDA on the whiteboard. Go round and mark/how could you improve the others group

Wider evaluation Key advantage Other theories are supported by this explanation Culture, Social learning Problems with biosocial explanation: Does this explanation take on board the complexity of gender? Why might this be a problem – what is not being taken into consideration? Other approaches?

Wider evaluation Based on the evidence you have considered (genes and hormones and biosocial approach), should we rule out the role of nurture in gender development. Explain your answer.

READING WEEK HOMEWORK 1.  CREATE FLASH CARDS FOR AGGRESSION AND RESEARCH METHODS TOPICS 2. PLAN THE FOLLOWING ESSAY FOR A TIMED ESSAY ON YOUR FIRST LESSON (23RD/24TH NOVEMBER)   * DISCUSS THE BIOSOCIAL APPROACH TO GENDER DEVELOPMENT. (8 +16 MARKS) 3. READ THE EVOLUTIONARY EXPLANATIONS OF GENDER