REVIEW Gender Development

Learning Objectives

Page 180

Test Yourself by taking a moment to answer each of these Learning Objective Questions (repeated here from within the module). Research suggests that trying to answer these questions on your own will improve your long-term memory of the concepts (McDaniel et al., 2009).

Question

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

ANSWER: In psychology, gender is the socially influenced characteristics by which people define men and women. Sex refers to the biologically influenced characteristics by which people define males and females. Our gender is thus the product of the interplay among our biological dispositions, our developmental experiences, and our current situation.

Question

14-2 What are some ways in which males and females tend to be alike and to differ?

ANSWER: We are more alike than different, thanks to our similar genetic makeup—we see, hear, learn, and remember similarly. Males and females do differ in body fat, muscle, height, age of onset of puberty, life expectancy, and vulnerability to certain disorders. Men admit to more aggression than women do, and they are more likely to be physically aggressive. Women's aggression is more likely to be relational. In most societies, men have more social power, and their leadership style tends to be directive, whereas women's is more democratic. Women focus more on social connectedness, and they “tend and befriend.”

Question

14-3 How do sex hormones influence prenatal and adolescent sexual development, and what is a disorder of sexual development?

ANSWER: Both sex chromosomes and sex hormones influence development. Biological sex is determined by the father's contribution to the twenty-third pair of chromosomes. The mother always contributes an X chromosome. The father may also contribute an X chromosome, producing a female, or a Y chromosome, producing a male by triggering additional testosterone release and the development of male sex organs. During puberty, both primary and secondary sex characteristics develop. Sex-related genes and physiology influence behavioral and cognitive differences between males and females. Disorders of sexual development are inherited conditions that involve unusual development of sex chromosomes and anatomy.

Question

14-4 How do gender roles and gender identity differ?

ANSWER: Gender roles, the behaviors a culture expects from its males and females, vary across place and time. Social learning theory proposes that we learn gender identity—our sense of being male, female, or some combination of the two—as we learn other things: through reinforcement, punishment, and observation. Critics argue that cognition also plays a role because modeling and rewards cannot explain variability in gender typing. Some children organize themselves into “boy worlds” and “girl worlds”; others prefer androgyny. Transgender people's gender identity or expression differs from their birth sex. Their sexual orientation may be heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, or asexual.

Terms and Concepts to Remember

Test yourself on these terms.

Question

sex (p. 172)
gender (p. 172)
aggression (p. 173)
relational aggression (p. 173)
X chromosome (p. 175)
Y chromosome (p. 175)
testosterone (p. 175)
puberty (p. 175)
primary sex characteristics (p. 175)
secondary sex characteristics (p. 175)
spermarche (p. 175)
menarche (p. 176)
disorder of sexual development (p. 177)
role (p. 177)
gender role (p. 177)
gender identity (p. 178)
social learning theory (p. 178)
gender typing (p. 178)
androgyny (p. 178)
transgender (p. 179)
an act of aggression (physical or verbal) intended to harm a person's relationship or social standing.
in psychology, the socially influenced characteristics by which people define men and women.
a set of expected behaviors, attitudes, and traits for males or for females.
a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.
the sex chromosome found only in males. When paired with an X chromosome from the mother, it produces a male child.
displaying both traditional masculine and feminine psychological characteristics.
[sper-MAR-key] first ejaculation.
nonreproductive sexual traits, such as female breasts and hips, male voice quality, and body hair.
the period of sexual maturation, when a person becomes capable of reproducing.
a condition present at birth that involves unusual development of sex chromosomes and anatomy.
[meh-NAR-key] the first menstrual period.
in psychology, the biologically influenced characteristics by which people define males and females.
the most important of the male sex hormones. Both males and females have it, but the additional testosterone in males stimulates the growth of the male sex organs during the fetal period, and the development of the male sex characteristics during puberty.
our sense of being male, female, or some combination of the two.
the sex chromosome found in both men and women. Females have two X chromosomes; males have one. An X chromosome from each parent produces a female child.
the body structures (ovaries, testes, and external genitalia) that make sexual reproduction possible.
the theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished.
the acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role.
an umbrella term describing people whose gender identity or expression differs from that associated with their birth sex.
any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally.

Experience the Testing Effect

Test yourself repeatedly throughout your studies. This will not only help you figure out what you know and don’t know; the testing itself will help you learn and remember the information more effectively thanks to the testing effect.

Question 5.1

1. Psychologists define as the biologically influenced characteristics by which people define males and females. The socially influenced characteristics by which people define men and women is .

Question 5.2

2. Females and males are very similar to each other. But one way they differ is that

A.
B.
C.
D.

Question 5.3

3. A fertilized egg will develop into a boy if it receives a/n chromosome from its father.

Question 5.4

4. Primary sex characteristics relate to ________; secondary sex characteristics refer to ________.

A.
B.
C.
D.

Question 5.5

5. On average, girls begin puberty at about the age of , boys at about the age of .

Question 5.6

6. An individual who is born with sexual anatomy that differs from typical male or female anatomy has a .

Question 5.7

7. Gender role refers to our

A.
B.
C.
D.

Question 5.8

8. When children have developed a , they have a sense of being male, female, or some combination of the two.

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