1.
GCSE Psychology: Module Two
(8) Sex and Gender
©© amac edu 2011amac edu 2011

2.
Sex & Gender
 Define sex & Gender.
 Biological Factors In sex differences
 Social learning Theory & Gender Roles
 Psychoanalytical Theory and Gender
Roles.
 Cognitive Development & Gender roles
 Cultural Differences in gender roles.

3.
Definition:
SEX* and Gender
are quite different
concepts,
have a go at
defining them:

4.
Sex & Gender Terms
• Sex – the biological fact of being male or
female, eg. chromosomal sex (XX or XY),
gonads (the possession of ovaries or
testes), genital sex (possession of a
vagina or penis) and hormones.
• Gender – the social, psychological,
behavioural and cultural aspects of being
femalefemale or malemale (i.e. femininity and
masculinity).

5.
 Gender identity –how people feel, think
and talk about themselves; the
psychological aspects of gender.
 Gender role – Acting in a gender
appropriate way, according to their
biological sex.
 Gender Stereotype – Applying gender
roles as a generality (eg. Nurses are
Female etc)

6.
How is a baby sexed at birth?
FACT: An estimated one in 2,000 babies are born
with ambiguous external genitalia (Intersexers)
Intersexer

7.
Human Protogyny and The Batista Family
(Imperato-McGinley, 1974)
 Some children from the same family (in the
Dominican Republic) are born with normal
female genitals and act like normal little girls.
 However, at about 12 years old they start to
develop male genitals and other male features;
so as post-pubic adults they are male and act
and feel like ‘normal’ reproductive males.
 The cause is hereditary (hormone: 5 H-R) and
within their family lineage there are many similar
cases.
Protogyny : organisms that are born female and at some
point in their lifespan change sex to male.
(PRO-TODGE-
INNY)

8.
Q) Is the Male / Female ‘Gender Model’
Universal?
A) No
For example: Native
American, Mohave
Indians (descended
from Aztecs & Incas)
traditionally have
FOUR genders. Male,
Female and Two-
Spiriters (male and
female mixed with
one gender being
dominant "berdache"
)
North American Indians’
ceremonial dance to
celebrate the two-spirit
person

9.
Genetics… the big picture
Each human cell has a Nucleus. In the Nucleus
are 23 pairs of Chromosomes. The
Chromosomes are created by the Gene Sequence
(DNA) as inherited from our biological parents
(50%-50%) and determine our physical
characteristics

10.
Some biology: Karyotyping
(Chromosomes) and sex/gender
 In simple terms, a
Human has 23 pairs of
Chromosomes (inside the nucleus of each
cell).
The last pair (as shown)
Differ: male/female.
The male is a
mutation
of the female
with a bit missing!

11.
Sex typing chromosomal abnormalities
A. Turner syndrome (X -)
B. Klinefelter's syndrome (XXY)
C. ‘Super-Man’ (XYY chromo) and
‘Super-Woman’ (XXX or Triple X
chromo). If interested
‘Google it’
D. (- X)On the 23rd
pair
If the 1st
chromosome determines the prototypical
human body (Asexual ‘blue print’) & the 2nd
chromosomes determines which sex (by hormonal
action).
What affect might each of the above have?

12.
 Turner syndrome (X -) is a
chromosomal disorder in
which all (or most) of the
second one of the 23rd
pair
is absent. Occurring in 1
out of every 2500 girls, the
syndrome manifests itself
in a number of ways. There
are characteristic physical
abnormalities (a/b/c) and
gonadal under
development (asexuality)
with subsequent
amenorrhea and infertility.
All humans start
female and need
the 2nd
Chromo to
develop sexually

13.
 Klinefelter's syndrome,XXY
is a condition in which
males have at least two X
chromosomes and at least
one Y chromosome.. The
condition exists in roughly
1 out of every 500 males.
 The principal effects are
development of small
testicles and reduced
fertility. A variety of other
physical and behavioral
differences and problems
are common
In both cases afflicted people feel
socially abnormal, therefore it
could be argued that the 2nd
chromo
of the 23rd
pair determines our sex
and gender.
A basic maleA basic male
phenotypephenotype
modified withmodified with
minor femaleminor female
characteristicscharacteristics

14.
Nature Vs Nurture
“Sex is fixed at birth and gender
identity/roles are learned/acquired
according to the determination of
one’s biological sex”
TRUE or FALSE (discuss)?

15.
Social learning Theory & The
Development of Gender Roles.
 Observation- Children notice
everything!!!!!!!!!! and imitate it.
Bandura, SLT and the
BoBo Doll:

16.
Similar to Behaviourism
(NB. a development of….)
 Behaviourism you learn from what
happens to you (1st
Person)
 SLT you learn from what happens to
others (3rd
Person)
 Therefore SLT, you learn by copying
(or not copying) other models

17.
Models..anyone who is observed.
 Similar:-same sex and frequency of
behaviour.
 Powerful/Caring:- Parents, teachers.
 Reinforced:- If gaining pleasure will
reinforce the behaviour.(Also known as
vicarious reinforcement: seeing someone else rewarded
and learn from it)

18.
Process and Research
Observe
Model
Imitate
Model
Internalise
(Believe)
Perry & Bussy (79)
Aim: Young children (M/F)
imitate same sex models
Method: Films of role
models (M/F) doing
unfamiliar activities
Results: Boys followed M
and Girls followed F role
models. If both M & F role
models did same then
both Boys & Girls copied
Conclusion/Evaluate
Explain results in terms of
SLT (does it support? And
what about the
ambiguous condition) +
Evaluate (method/culture)

19.
Media, Gender and SLT
From a very young age
children are exposed to
gender stereotypes… how
much affect does it have?

20.
Research
Williams (86)
Aim: The effect of TV
on gender development
Method: Canada, towns
getting TV for first time.
Measured gender
attitudes before and
two years later
amongst young
children (different
children/same age)
Result: Once children
are exposed to TV they
display greater gender
stereotyped attitudes
and behaviours
Conclusion: TV has a
direct effect on gender
development (observe
and imitate)

21.
Evaluation of Social Learning
Theory.
 Gender differences occur due to societal
reinforcement of gender appropriate
behaviours.
 However: does not explain:
 Gender preference for toys
 Children reared in single parent or
homosexual families
 Children persist in unwanted behaviours.
 How brothers or sisters can be very
different (biological?)

22.
Freud & Gender
Development
(Psychodynamic Theory)
Freud & Gender
Development
(Psychodynamic Theory)

23.
Basic Assumption
“We are a product of our
early childhood
experiences”

24.
Personality comprises three parts (Freudian
Tripartite Theory): Id – Ego – Super-Ego
Instincts/Drives Our Consciousness Morals & Experience
(Pain/Pleasure Principal) (Reality Principal) (Ego Ideal)
YOUINNATE LEARNED
ID EGO SUPER-EGO
Sex Starved Monkey > Shy Bank Clerk < Maiden Aunt

25.
Psychosexual Stages:
Anal
18-36 mths
The anus –
withholding or
expelling faeces
Latent
6 yrs to puberty
Little or no sexual
motivation present
Genital
Puberty and beyond
The penis or
vagina – sexual
intercourse
Oral
0-18 mths
The mouth –
sucking,
swallowing etc.
EGO develops
Phallic
3-6 yrs
The penis or
clitoris -
masturbation
SUPEREGO develops
+ Gender
FOCUSSTAGE
Development
of ‘self’

26.
Psychoanalytical theory &
Gender Roles.
 Male
 Oedipus Complex.
 Female
 Electra complex
BOTH OCCUR IN THE PHALLIC STAGE
(PSD)

27.
What do we think of Freud????
 Should have poorly
developed gender
identity if in single
sex family…..not the
case.
 Children younger
than 4 aware of
gender roles and
toys, how could
Freud have explained
this?

28.
Research…….
 Little Hans: Freud (1909) p123
Supports the Oedipus Complex (see
hand-out)
 Gender Disturbance (Learned):
Rekers & Moray (1990) p124
Boys not exposed to a father figure
before 6 yrs old are more likely to have
a disturbed gender than boys who do

29.
Cognitive Development
Kohlberg (1966)
Kohlberg said that once a child
understands that sex does not
change (constancy), it has
achieved gender identity. This
develops in three stages.

30.
Stage 1 - Gender labeling (up to 3
years old)
 By about 18 months of age the child
knows what label it is and by the age of
two and a half it can label other
children and adults.
 However, the child does not realise: we
stay the same sex throughout life
‘It is interesting to ask a child under 3 yrs old
what sex it will be when it grows up’

31.
Stage 2 Gender stability (3 to 5
years old)
 Gender stability is achieved when the
child understands that one’s sex
remains unchanged throughout life.
 But they can be deceived by
appearance e.g. saying that a man
wearing a dress would be a woman.
Over-generalisation as they learn gender
roles?

32.
Stage 3 Gender constancy (from 6
years old onwards)
 When a child understands that gender
remains constant in other people despite
changes in appearance they have
achieved gender constancy.
 Kohlberg said that when a child has a full
understanding of its gender, it ‘models’
from observation of peers.
Children if given the choice play/socialise
with there own sex up to puberty (gender
learning)

33.
A full understanding of its
gender… what does this mean?
 Biology determines which colour
lenses the developing child will start
to see itself….
… and the environment
reinforces what they see
… and the environment
reinforces what they see

34.
Evaluation of Cog-Dev
Explanation.
 Is evidence to
suggest after 6 yrs
old, children pay
more attention to
same sex role
models
XX Does not account
for why a child
becomes aware of
gender roles at
younger age.

35.
Research
 Martin (1989) p131
Older children (+6 yrs old) are more
flexible about gender than young
children
 Levy and Carter (1989) p132
When a child understands M & F, it
then makes gender appropriate choices
(eg. toys)

36.
Cultural differences.
M.Meade (1935)
 Compared different cultures as
useful way of generalising about
findings.
 3 tribes in New Guinea big
differences in behaviour
expectations of males and females.
 Differences are cultural not
biological, however males were more
aggressive than females.