Ch: 11 gender & sexuality

lifespan development

Sex

Biological differences between males and females, such as chromosomes, reproductive systems, and physical characteristics.

Intersex

A condition in which an individual’s physical sex characteristics do not fit typical definitions of male or female.

Gender

Socially and culturally constructed roles, behaviors, and attributes that a society considers appropriate for men and women.

Cisgender

A person whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth.

Transgender

A person whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.

Gender Affirming Care

Medical and psychological care that supports an individual's gender identity, such as hormone therapy or surgeries.

Hormone Therapy

A treatment involving the use of hormones to help a person transition to the gender they identify with.

Puberty Blockers

Medications that pause the physical changes of puberty in transgender youth to give them more time to explore their gender identity.

Gender Nonconformity

The expression of gender in ways that do not align with traditional societal expectations for one’s sex.

Sexual Orientation

An individual's emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to others, often categorized as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, etc.

Gender Roles

Social and cultural expectations regarding how individuals of different genders should behave, think, or feel.

Gender Norms

Unwritten rules or expectations about what is considered appropriate for people based on their gender.

Gender Stereotypes

Oversimplified and fixed ideas about the characteristics or behaviors of men and women.

Gender Differences

The perceived or actual differences in behavior, traits, or roles between men and women.

Double Standard

A societal bias where one set of rules or expectations is applied to one gender and a different set to another.

Hyde

A psychologist who emphasized the gender similarity hypothesis, arguing that males and females are more alike than different.

Gender Similarity Hypothesis

The theory that men and women are more alike than different in most psychological traits.

Within-group vs. Between-group Differences

Within-group differences refer to variations within the same gender, while between-group differences refer to differences between genders.

Gender Typing

The process by which individuals come to identify with behaviors and traits that society deems appropriate for their gender.

Gender Segregation

The tendency for children to associate more with peers of their own gender.

Gender Socialization

The process by which individuals learn and internalize the gender roles and expectations of their culture.

Gender Intensification

The increased pressure during adolescence to conform to traditional gender roles, often due to societal expectations.

Theoretical Perspectives on Gender

Different psychological theories that explain how gender identity and roles develop, including biological, social, and cognitive approaches.

Biological Perspective

The theory that gender differences are rooted in biology, such as hormones, genetics, and brain structure.

Biosocial Theory of Gender Typing

A theory that combines biological influences with social learning to explain gender role development.

Social Learning Theory

The theory that gender roles are learned through observation, imitation, and reinforcement.

Kohlberg

A psychologist who proposed stages of gender development, suggesting that children actively construct their gender identity through cognitive processes.

Gender Identity

A person’s internal sense of their gender, which may or may not align with the sex they were assigned at birth.

Gender Stability

The understanding, typically developed around age 4-5, that gender is consistent over time.

Gender Constancy

The understanding, developed around age 6-7, that gender remains the same regardless of changes in appearance or behavior.

Adolescents & Sexual Activity

The period in which individuals experience sexual development, and the onset of sexual activity varies widely across cultures and individuals.

Teenage Pregnancy (General Rates/Trends & Prevention)

Teen pregnancy rates have generally declined due to improved education, access to contraception, and social changes in attitudes towards teenage parenthood.

Frequency of Sexual Intercourse with Age (General Rates/Trends)

Sexual activity tends to increase during adolescence and young adulthood, plateauing in midlife, and typically decreases in older age.

Levels of Sexual Desire by Age

Sexual desire generally peaks during adolescence and young adulthood, often declines with age due to hormonal changes and life circumstances.