Module 14. Gender Development

172

14-1 How does the meaning of gender differ from the meaning of sex?

sex in psychology, the biologically influenced characteristics by which people define males and females.

gender in psychology, the socially influenced characteristics by which people define men and women.

We humans share an irresistible urge to organize our worlds into simple categories. Among the ways we classify people—as tall or short, dull or smart, cheerful or churlish—one stands out. Immediately after your birth (or even before), everyone wanted to know, “Boy or girl?” Your parents may have offered clues with pink or blue clothing. The simple answer described your sex, your biological status, defined by your chromosomes and anatomy. For most people, those biological traits help define their assigned gender, their culture’s expectations about what it means to be male or female.

Our gender is the product of the interplay among our biological dispositions, our developmental experiences, and our current situations (Eagly & Wood, 2013). Before we consider that interplay in more detail, let’s take a closer look at some ways that males and females are both similar and different.

Pink and blue baby outfits illustrate how cultural norms vary and change. “The generally accepted rule is pink for the boy and blue for the girl,” declared the Earnshaw’s Infants’ Department in June of 1918 (Frassanito & Pettorini, 2008). “The reason is that pink being a more decided and stronger color is more suitable for the boy, while blue, which is more delicate and dainty, is prettier for the girls.”