Sex and Gender in Child Development

How is your sex determined?

biologically

How is your gender determined?

learning, social factors, cultural factors

Give the 4 factors that determine gender in children?

1) prenatal hormones

2) development of male or female genitalia

3) parents assign as male or female and raise accordingly

4) gender identity

What does DSD stand for?

disorders of sex development

What are DSDs?

sexual ambiguity in genitals

True or false: individuals can decide whether they fall into the DSD category or not

true

Choose the correction option: DSDs are/ are not highly stigmatised

are

True or false: DSDs are always present at birth and never are noticed at puberty

false

Give the name of the organisation that supports and enhances the health and well-being of families affected by DSDs?

Accord Alliance

True or false: there remains a global preference to having boys

true

Give 3 social values for men:

moral, tough, professioanl

Give 3 social values of women:

attractiveness, kind, patient

Describe the social learning theory in relation to gender development:

gendered behavioural are developed by observing and imitating. The learning is assisted by rewards and punishment

Describe the cognitive development theory in relation to gender development:

in order to build a self awareness of gender, a child looks for members of the same gender and learns from them what masculine and feminine behaviour is

What is the name of the first phase of gender development?

gender identity self-awareness

When does gender identity self-awareness begin?

2/3 years

What is the name of the second phase of gender development?

gender stability

What development occurs in the gender stability phase?

their gender role is affirmed (when I grow up, will I be a mum or a dad?)

What is the third phase of gender development?

gender constancy

When does the gender constancy phase begin?

6 years

What occurs in the gender constancy phase?

gender becomes constant across time and situations and the child realises gender is fixed and cannot be changed by appearance

How is gender interpreted by children under 6?

entirely on appearance (girls have long hair and skirts, boys have short hair and trousers)

Give 4 examples of how society shapes gender roles:

1) role models and relationships with family

2) peers and who children play with

3) school and teacher behaviour

4) media

True or false: toys for boys tend to involve a more active role

true

What skills are women better at than men in? (on average)

maths and verbal skills

What skill are men better than women in? (on average)

spatial awareness

What psychological disorders are men more likely to be treated for than women?

drug and alcohol abuse

What psychological disorders are women more likely to be treated for than men?

depression and eating disorders