Sex and Gender in Psychology

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to sex, gender, personality, and psychological theories as discussed in the lecture.

Sex

Biological features used to classify a person as male (M) or female (F).

Intersex

Individuals born with genitals that do not fit typical definitions of male or female.

Gender

Sociocultural beliefs regarding what it means to be a man or woman.

Gender identity

A person's sense of being a man, a woman, both, or neither.

Sex chromosomes

Chromosomes that determine biological sex, e.g., XX for females and XY for males.

Gonads

Glands that produce sex hormones; ovaries in females and testes in males.

Secondary sex characteristics

Traits that differentiate the sexes but are not part of the reproductive system.

Differences of sexual development (DSDs)

Conditions present at birth causing atypical developmental patterns of chromosomal or anatomical sex.

Gender binary

The belief that there are only two genders: male and female.

Nonbinary

A gender identity that does not fit within the traditional categories of male or female.

Transgender

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

Gender dysphoria

A condition where a person's gender identity is incongruent with their sex assigned at birth, affecting daily life.

Sexual selection

The theory that males and females differ in mating competition and choice.

Social role theory

Theory that explains how institutional factors maintain gender roles and contribute to differences.

Empathy

The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

Aggression

Behavior intended to harm another person.

Relational aggression

Behavior meant to harm someone's social standing, such as gossiping.

Sexuality

Activities and experiences associated with sexual pleasure.

Heteroflexibility

Individuals who experiment with same-sex attraction while primarily identifying as heterosexual.

Pansexual

A person whose sexual attractions are not restricted by sex or gender.

Involuntary celibate

Individuals who desire sexual activity but go significant periods without it.

Binegativity

Negative attitudes towards bisexual individuals, leading to their alienation.

Intersectionality

The concept that individuals can hold multiple identities that shape their experiences of oppression.

Hookups

Brief sexual encounters between individuals without committed relationships.

Sexual response pattern

The sequence of physiological changes occurring during sexual arousal, including excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution.

STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection)

Infections transmitted through sexual activity.

Psychodynamic perspectives

Theories emphasizing the unconscious processes that influence behavior and personality.

Psychoanalysis

Freud's therapeutic approach to understanding personality and treating mental disorders.

Id

The part of the personality that contains innate biological drives.

Ego

The component of personality that mediates between the demands of reality and the desires of the id.

Superego

The ethical component of the personality that provides the moral standards by which the ego operates.