GENDER - GENERAL

Sex

Refers to a persons biological status as male or female. Determined by different chromosomes, leading to different hormonal influences \= differences in anatomy, reproductive organs, hair growth etc.

- also is innate

What is Gender Dysphoria?

When a individual identifies more with the opposite sex than the one they were assigned at birth.

What happens if one's sex doesn't match their gender?

They may decide to have gender reassignment surgery, becoming transgender, to bring their sexual identity in line with their gender identity.

Gender

Persons psychosocial status as either masculine or feminine.

- includes all the attitudes, behaviours we associate with 'being male' or 'being female'.

- These are heavily influenced by social norms, cultural expectations and sex-role stereotypes.

Sex-role stereotype

Set of shared expectations that people within society or culture hold about what is acceptable or normal behaviour for males and females.

What are sex-role stereotypes (societal expectations) confounded by?

These expectations can be reinforced by parents, peers and the media

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

Androgyny

Refers to a personality type that is characterised by a mixture of masculine and feminine traits, attitudes or behaviours

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

What two greek words is androgyny made up of?

- 'Andro' meaning male
- 'Gyny' meaning female

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

Who introduced the concept of psychological androgyny?

Sandra Bem

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

What did Sandra Bem suggest?

- argued a person can show masculine and feminine traits

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

What did Sandra Bem suggest the benefits of being androgynous are?

- being androgynous is psychologically healthy because it avoids fixed stereotypes

- Androgynous people are able to adapt to a range to contexts + situations that non-androgynous people would find difficult

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

How to participants complete the sex-role inventory?

When completing the inventory:

- Individual has to rate themselves on each trait using 7-point likert scale where
- One means 'never true of me' & 7 is 'always true of me'
- Scale provides an average score of femininity and masculinity

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

What is included in Bem's sex role inventory?
(Completing + measuring)

Bem sex role inventory (BSRI) includes:
- 20 masculine traits
- 20 feminine traits
- 20 neutral items (distractors)

When completing the inventory:
- Individual has to rate themselves on each trait using 7-point likert scale where
- One means 'never true of me' & 7 is 'always true of me'
- Scale provides an average score of femininity and masculinity

Scoring:
High masculine & low feminine \= masculine
High feminine & low masculine \= feminine
High masculine & high feminine \= androgynous
Low feminine & low masculine \= Undifferentiated

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

What is the scoring of Bem's sex role inventory?

Scoring:
High masculine & low feminine \= masculine
High feminine & low masculine \= feminine
High masculine & high feminine \= androgynous
Low feminine & low masculine \= Undifferentiated

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

What did BEM find when using her 'BEM sex role inventory?

Bem (1974) found that 34% of males and 27% of females are psychologically androgynous

-Suggests a large minority of people are androgynous rather than masculine or feminine

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

How was the BSRI developed?

BEM developed the BSRI by asking 50 females + 50 males to rate 200 traits in terms of how desirable they were in men and women

- Highest scoring traits for each category became the 20 masculine and 20 feminine traits on the scale.

- included 10 positive and 10 gender neural items to make sure participants were not overly influenced by seeing masculine and female items

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

What would you include in this question:
'Discuss research into androgyny'

AO1:
- Define androgyny
- Link with psychologically healthy (Bem's ideas)
- BSRI - explain how it measures androgyny

AO2:
- Social Desirability
- Temporal validity
- Research support

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

What would you include in this question:
'Outline and evaluate the Bem Sex Role Inventory as a way of measuring androgyny'

AO1:
- Define androgyny
- How the BSRI was developed
- How it measures androgyny

AO3:
- Social desirability bias
- Temporal validity
- Cultural Bias

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

What are the four evaluations you have learned in relation to androgyny and Bem's sex inventory?

- Social desirability bias
- Temporal validity
- Research support
- Cultural Bias

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

Evaluation: Explain why androgyny and the BSRI maybe effected by social desirability bias

- A limitation of the BSRI is that people may answer the questionnaire in a socially desirable way

- Means participants answers reflect what they think would be accepted by wider society - meet the standards set by social and cultural norms.

- This means that Bem's BSRI is not measuring what it intended to measure - lacks internal validity.

COUNTER:

- BSRI was piloted with 1000 students + results broadly corresponded with the participants own description of their gender identity

- suggests BSRI has some degree of validity

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

Evaluation: Explain why androgyny and BSRI lacks temporal validity

- The BSRI was developed in 1974

- Behaviours that are regarded as 'typical' or 'acceptable' in relation to gender have changed a lot since this time period

- Bem's scale is made up of stereotypical ideas (& arguably outdated) about masculinity + femininity

- For example, BSRI states masculine characteristic is athletic and feminine is yielding - now not associated with just masculine and feminine characteristics

- Demonstrates that Bem's scale maybe outdated and therefore lack temporal validity + have using / generalising findings from scale in todays modern society.

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

Evaluation: Explain the research support into androgyny and BSRI

BURCHARDT & SERBIN (1982):
- Investigated the relationship between androgyny and mental health

- Males + female participants completed the BSRI & the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (which is a test of adult psychopathology)

Found: androgynous females scored significantly lower for depression + social introversion than feminine females + were also lower on SZ & mania scales than masculine females

- Supports the idea that being androgynous is positively correlated with good mental health - high validity

COUNTER:
Burchardt and Serbin (1982) also found that masculine and androgynous males scored equally well suggesting that masculinity is also linked to positive mental health, especially in males - undermines theory androgyny as suggest that masculine traits help mental health than than mix in men - lacks validity.

Androgyny and the Bem Sex Role Inventory:

Evaluation: Explain how androgyny and BSRI are culturally bias

Scale developed from the answers of American students. Western views of 'maleness' and 'femaleness' may not be shared across all cultures:

For example: Cuddy et al (2010) found that Americans rated men less interdependent than women. Koreans showed the opposite pattern rating men more interdependent than women - deviating from the 'universal' gender stereotype of male independence.

- American is an individualistic culture which values independence whereas Korea is a collectivist culture + values cooperation

- Demonstrates that BSRI is culturally bias and would not work in all cultures

The role of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender:

Chromosomes

Chromosomes are collections of DNA in the nucleus of cells:

- Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes
- 23rd pair determine biological sex
- The chromosomal structure of females is XX and for males is XY

The role of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender:

In terms of chromosomes all human eggs have what?

- All human eggs produced by an ovary have an X chromosome

- Half the sperm have an X chromosome + half have a Y chromosome

- When the sperm fertilises an egg the resulting emybro will be XY or XX

The role of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender:

What gene do Y chromosomes carry and what does this gene do?

Y chromosome caries a gene called 'sex-determining region Y' (SYR):

The SYR gene causes testes to develop in an XY embryo and androgens (male sex hormones) to be released.

Androgens (male sex hormones) masculinise the embryo so it develops as a male.

The absence of androgens \= embryo develops into a female.

The role of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender:

Whats the definition of hormones?

A chemical substance circulated in the blood that controls + regulates the activity of certain cells or organs

What is gender determined by?

Chromosomes initially determine a person sex but most gender development actually comes about through the influence of hormones.

The role of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender:

Women typically produce more what than men?

Oxytocin.

The role of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender:

What is the role of testosterone in gender development?

Testosterone - A hormone from the androgen group that is produced mainly in the male testes:

- Controls the development of male sex organs (which begins at 8 weeks of foetal development)

- Masculinises the brain of XY embryos leading to greater development of the brain associated with spatial skills

- Differences in the hypothalamus of males + female as the sexual dimorphic nucleus being larger in males - some researchers believe that this is due to male sex hormones

- Associated with male types behaviours such as competitiveness and aggression

The role of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender:

What differences in the male brain does testosterone cause?

- Masculinises the brain of XY embryos leading to greater development of the brain associated with spatial skills

- Differences in the hypothalamus of males + female as the sexual dimorphic nucleus being larger in males - some researchers believe that this is due to male sex hormones

The role of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender:

What is the role of oestrogen in gender development?

Is the female sex hormone that determines female sex characteristics and involved in controlling the mental cycle.

- associated with female type behaviours such as sensitivity and co-operation

The role of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender:

What is the role of oxytocin?

Referred to as the 'love hormone' as its involved in bonding + released during hugging, kissing and sex

- Plays a role in childbirth and breast feeding

- males producing less oxytocin than females supports the stereotype that males are less interested in intimacy in a relationship

What is oxytocin referred to?

Referred to as the 'love hormone' as its involved in bonding + released during hugging, kissing and sex

What are the three evaluation points you have learned in terms of role of chromosomes and hormones?

- The case of David Reimer (support for chromosomes)
- Van Goozen et al (support for hormones)
- Reductionism

The role of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender:

Evaluation: Outline the results of the David Reimer case study.

Evidence to support the role of chromosomes - The Case of David Reimer:

- Reimer born a 'normal' baby boy along with his twin brother. At 8 months old an accident during an operation meant his penis was cut off.

- His parents took the advice of Dr Money psychologist developing the theory of 'gender neutrality'

- believed nurture was more important than nature in gender development - so Money advised the Reimers to raise Bruce as a girl - renamed Brenda - raised in a stereotypical way.

- Brenda was unhappy as a child and suffered from severe psychological problems. She never felt feminine + struggled with gender identity - particularly from the age of 9.

- When told the truth at 14 Brenda immediately started living as a male + called himself David.

Demonstrates that chromosomal influence is more powerful than socialisation in gender development. Davids feminine up bringing couldn't override the influence of his XY chromosomes.


COUNTER:
- ideographic - lacks generalisability
- parents always knew he was a boy - done properly

The role of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender:

What did Dr Money believe?

His parents took the advice of Dr Money psychologist developing the theory of 'gender neutrality'

The role of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender:

What does the case of David Reimer suggest?

Demonstrates that chromosomal influence is more powerful than socialisation in gender development. Davids feminine up bringing couldn't override the influence of his XY chromosomes.

The role of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender:

Was Brenda happy and what did she struggle with?

-Brenda was unhappy as a child and suffered from severe psychological problems. She never felt feminine + struggled with dystrophia - particularly from the age of 9.

The role of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender:

Evaluation: Evidence that supports the role of hormones.

Van Goozen et al studied transgender people who were undergoing hormone treatment and being injected with hormones of the opposite sex:

- Transgender women showed decreases in aggression and visuo-spatial skills whilst transgender men showed the opposite.

- This research seems to suggest that sex hormones do exert some influence on gender-related behaviours.

The role of chromosomes and hormones in sex and gender:

Evaluation: The theory is reductionist

The biological model takes a reductionist approach when explaining gender because it reduces behaviour down to the lowest possible level of explanation (chromosomes + hormones)

- Limitation because arguably explains gender (in terms of chromosomes and hormones) is oversampling a complex concept as it ignores other factors which could effect gender development

COUNTER:
Positive (more reliable + scientific?)

Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's theory:

What do cognitive developmental theories refer to?

Refer to the way our thinking changes with age, so that out understanding of the world gradually changes.

- As our thought processes develop we are capable of more sophisticated understanding of gender.

Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's theory:

What does Kohlberg's cognitive development theory suggest?

Child go through a series of stages in their understanding of gender:

- Stages are linked to underlying changes in the way that children think.

For example, as children develop the ability to conserve they start to grasp that gender remains constant - regardless of a hair length or clothes

Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's theory:

What is the biological element of Kohlberg's theory?

As a child gets older there is biological maturation of the brain.

- as the brain matures so thinking becomes more sophisticated \= children achieve greater understanding of gender

Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's theory:

What is the social element of Kohlberg's theory?

Imitation of other children is important in gender development.

- Children observe the behaviour of those of the same sex & model it - can only does this once reached gender constancy

- cognitive change becomes before the change in behaviour

- Only when children realise that gender does not change will act in a sex typed way. - closely linked with ideas of STL

Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's theory:

What are the three stages of gender development?

- Gender Identity (age 2-3)
- Gender Stability ( age 3-4)
- Gender Constancy (age 4-5)

Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's theory:

gender identity?

Age: (2-3)

Children are able to correctly identify themselves as a boy or girl.

- Not aware sex is permeant + identify sex but not fixed

- At 3 most can identify others as male or female - understanding of gender does not tend to go beyond labelling

Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's theory:

Gender stability?

At age 4 (3-4) children acquire gender stability:

- Own sex is stable but can not apply this to others

- comes to realisation their gender is permeant + stays consistent overtime

-Confused by external changes in appearance

Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's theory:

Kholberg's gender constancy

Around the age of 6 (4-6):

- Know their gender will remain constant across situations and time as well as other peoples

- No longer flooded by changes in outward appearance

- may regard, for example, a men wearing a dress as usual but child able to acknowledge that he is still a man underneath.

Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's theory:

Who did Kohlberg base his theory on?

Based on Piaget's ideas - that children automatically seek to understand the world around them.

- They seek out categories, such as gender to help them understand the world.

- It is self-socialisation

Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's theory:

What are the three evaluations you have learned for Kohlberg's theory of gender development?

- Holism vs Reductionism
- Bandura + Bussy (refutes Kohlberg's theory)
- Slabby + Frey (supports sequence of stages)

Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's theory:

Evaluation: Kohlberg's theory is holistic

Positive: Comprehensive + incorporates a number of different approaches

- Cognitive theory emphasising importance of thought processes BUT incorporates ideas from other approaches (i.e. role of biology and social, learning)

- Good explores many factors that may influence the development of gender

COUNTER:
- Not entirely holistic ignores biological influences scuh as chromosomes + hormones & importance of reinforcement from parents

Negative: Not scientific can not identify most influential factor in understanding gender (use role of C+H) as an example.

Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's theory:

How is Kohlberg's theory holistic?

Positive: Comprehensive + incorporates a number of different approaches

- Cognitive theory emphasising importance of thought processes BUT incorporates ideas from other approaches (i.e. role of biology and social, learning)

- Good explores many factors that may influence the development of gender

Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's theory:

Evaluation: Evidence that supports the sequence of stages

Slaby + Frey (1975):

Children were presented split screen images of males + females performing the same tasks

Found:
- Younger children spent roughly the same amount of time watching both sexes

- Gender Constancy stage children spent longer looking at the model who was the same sex as them.

- Suggests that Kohlberg was correct in his assumption that children who acquired constancy with actively seek gender appropriate models

Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's theory:

What was Slaby + Frey's study?

Slaby + Frey (1975):

Children were presented split screen images of males + females performing the same tasks

Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's theory:

Evaluation: Evidence that refutes the stage of constancy

Bussey + Bandura (1992):

Found that children as young as four reported 'feeling good' about playing with gender-appropriate toys and 'bad' about doing the opposite.

Contradicts Kohlberg's theory.

Cognitive explanations: Gender Schema Theory

Gender schema

An organised set of beliefs + expectations related to gender that are derived from experience.

Such schema guide a person's understanding of their own gender + gender-appropriate behaviour in general.

Cognitive explanations: Gender Schema Theory:

Schema

A mental framework of beliefs and expectations that influence cognitive processing.

They are developed from experience.

Cognitive explanations: Gender Schema Theory:

Similarities to Kohlberg?

- Like Kohlberg's theory Martin & Halverson's account is a cognitive-developmental theory which argues that children's understanding of gender increases with age

- Both share the view that children develop their understanding of gender by actively structuring their own learning rather than passively observing + imitating role models (proposed by the social learning theory)

Cognitive explanations: Gender Schema Theory:


Who developed gender schema theory?

Carol Martin and Charles Halverson.

Cognitive explanations: Gender Schema Theory

What do Martin + Halverson claim in their gender schema theory?

Claims from very early age children are actively seeking to understand which behaviours are appropriate for their gender + build schemas for masculine & feminine behaviours

Cognitive explanations: Gender Schema Theory:

How does the gender schema theory see children and what do they do?

As information processors

- actively sort Information they are exposed to, to make sense of the world.

- Children start doing this at a very early age 2-3 years old

(before they would be showing gender constancy in Kohlberg's model)

Cognitive explanations: Gender Schema Theory


From the age of 2-3 years old once a child has a sense of gender identity child will do what?

- has to have reached gender identity stage (2-3 years)

- understand they are male or female and will stay that way

- Begin to categorise objects & activities as appropriate to one gender or the other

- Developed a sense that their own gender is the 'in-group' and identify with that rejecting the 'out group' activities. In group identity boasts a Childs self-esteem

- Concentrate on activities that they have decided are gender appropriate + ignore activities they have come to view as suitable for the opposite sex

- Pay more attention to information that is consistent with their schema's + reject/ ignore inconsistent information

- As children are more attentive to information relevant to their own gender they develop more of a detailed gender schema for their own gender

- Once they reach the age of about 8 they develop detailed schema's for both genders

Cognitive explanations: Gender Schema Theory

Once a child has reached gender identity what concept of 'groups' will the develop?

Developed a sense that their own gender is the 'in-group' and identify with that rejecting the 'out group' activities.

In group identity boasts a Childs self-esteem

Cognitive explanations: Gender Schema Theory

What does in group identity boast?

In group identity boasts a Childs self-esteem.

Cognitive explanations: Gender Schema Theory

What is a child more attentive to in gender identity? What do they develop as a result?

- As children are more attentive to information relevant to their own gender they develop more of a detailed gender schema for their own gender

Cognitive explanations: Gender Schema Theory

What information do children pay more attention to?

Pay more attention to information that is consistent with their schema's + reject/ ignore inconsistent information

Cognitive explanations: Gender Schema Theory:

Evaluation: What are the three evaluation points you have learned in relation to the Gender Schema theory?

- Supporting evidence (Bussey + Bandura)
- Kohlberg or social learning theory
- Freewill / determinsiim

Cognitive explanations: Gender Schema Theory

Evaluation: There is supporting evidence for the gender schema theory

Bussey + Bandura (1992):

Found that children as young as four reported 'feeling good' about playing with gender-appropriate toys and 'bad' about doing the opposite.

- supports theory

Cognitive explanations: Gender Schema Theory

Kohlberg

Cognitive explanations: Gender Schema Theory

Evaluation: Gender Schema theory is an example of a determinism

The theory can be seen as deterministic because having worked out that we are male + female this seems to really limit (control) the way in which we behave and think.

- In contrast Bem argues that we have free will to reject our gender schema's + behave the in which we wish

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development:

What did Freud Pre-phalic stage

- During this stage Freud described children as bisexual I.e they are nether masculine nor feminine

Outline the 5 psychosexual stages.

Oral stage: birth and 1.
Anal stage: 1-3.
Phallic stage: 3-6.
Latent stage: 6-11.
Genital stage: 11+.

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development:

What stage did Freud Claim that gender development occurs?

- during the phallic stage

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development:

What happens to boys and girls during the phallic stage?

- girls go through the Electra complex
- boys go through the Oedipus complex

- boys resolve the Oedipus complex by identifying with dad
- girls resolve the electra complex by identifying with their mum

- Through identification that gender identity occurs

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development:

How do boys and girls resolve their complex's? And what happens as a result?

- boys resolve the Oedipus complex by identifying with dad
- girls resolve the electra complex by identifying with their mum

- Through identification that gender identity occurs

According to Freud, at what age and stage does gender development occur?

Phallic stage - 3-6 years of age.

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development:

Oedipus complex👨‍💼

- In the phallic stage all boys develop incestuous feeling towards their mothers

- Jealous of dad as seen as a rival for their mothers affections

- Boy recognises that his father is more powerful & fears he maybe castrated by his father for his feelings towards his mother \-- this is castration anxiety.

- To avoid this the child identifies with his father \-- called identification with the aggressor.

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development:

Electra complex 👸

-In the phallic stage girls experience penis envy

- Resent their mother for two reasons:
1. Mother is a 'love rival' in competition for fathers love.
2. Girls blame their mother for a lack of a penis (mother castrated her daughter when she castrated herself)

- Jung suggested that girls eventually accept that they will never have a penis + replace this to

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development:


There is no record of Freud ever using the term 'Electra Complex'. Who was it who suggested it?

Carl Jung.

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development:

Freud's identification & internalisation

- Children of both sex's identify with the same-sex parents to resolve the complex's

- they look up to them + want to be like them

- This leads to internalisation where the child adopts the attitudes and behaviour of their same sex parent - come a part of who the child is

- Gender identity happens suddenly at the end of the phallic stage

- This process of identification & internalisation is stronger in males as they are motivated by a fear of castration.

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development:

What is internalisation in terms of the psychodynamic explanation of gender development?

- This leads to internalisation where the child adopts the attitudes and behaviour of their same sex parent - come a part of who the child is

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development:

Is gender internalisation and identification stronger in one gender and is so, why?

This process of identification & internalisation is stronger in males as they are motivated by a fear of castration.

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development:

Evaluation: What are the three evaluations you have learnt for the psychodynamic explanation for gender development:

- Gender Bias (Horney)
- Theory does not agree with other theories of gender development
- lacks scientific rigour (karl popper)

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development:

Evaluation: The explanation is gender bias

(Androcentric - · Male centred. When 'normal' behaviour is judged from a male standard, female behaviour is often judged to be 'abnormal' or 'deficient' by comparison.)

- dangerous implications for women.

feminist psychoanalyst HORNEY: challenged the idea that female gender development was founded on the desire to be like a men - androcentric assumption .

Stated penis envy is a cultural concept rather than an innate trait

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development:

What did feminist psychoanalyst Horney say about the approaches gender bias?

feminist psychoanalyst HORNEY: challenged the idea that female gender development was founded on the desire to be like a men - androcentric assumption .

Stated penis envy is a cultural concept rather than an innate trait

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development:

Evaluation: Theory does not agree with other theories of gender development.

(to be written)

Psychodynamic explanation of gender development:

Evaluation: Lacks scientific Vigour

Criticised - Concepts in Freud's psychodynamic explanation for gender development are untestable due to their unconscious nature.

Philosopher of science Karl Popper states makes Freud's theory pseudoscientific ( not genuine science) as his key ideas can not be falsified.

Outline the case of Little Hans. 🐴

Little Hans had a phobia of horses that stemmed from witnessing a horse collapsing and dying in the street.


He was afraid that a horse would bite him.


Freud interpreted this as Little Hans's fear of castration and suggested that he displaced his fear of his father onto horses.

Atypical sex chromosome patterns:

What is Klienfelter's syndrome

Klinefelters syndrome effects biological males who have an extra X chromosome (XXY)

- It effects between 1 in 500 and 1 in 1000 people but 2/3 of people with it are unaware

Atypical sex chromosome patterns:

Physical characteristics of Klinefelter's syndrome?

- reduced body hair when compared to a 'normal' male

- May have breast development + 'softening/ rounding' of body contours

- long gangly limbs

- underdeveloped genitals

- problems with co-ordination + general clumsiness

- More sustentable to health problems found in females - i.e great cancer

Atypical sex chromosome patterns:

Psychological characteristics

- linked to poorly developed language skills + reading ability

- passive, shy, lack interest in sexual activity

- tend to not respond well to stressful situations

- problems with memory + problem solving

Atypical sex chromosome patterns:

What is Turner's syndrome?

Turners syndrome effects biological females who are missing one of the X chromosomes (X0). About 1-5000 females have Turner's syndrome

- 45 chromosomes instead of 46

Atypical sex chromosome patterns:

Physical characteristics of Turner's syndrome?

- Do not have a menstrual cycle (ovaries fail to develop they are sterile)

- Do not develop breasts at puberty have a broad 'shield' chest

- low set ears

- webbed neck

- High waist hip ratio

- physically immature + retain appearance of pre-pubescent girls

- droopy eyes

- small stature (below 5ft)

- low hair line

Atypical sex chromosome patterns:

Psychological characteristics of Turner's syndrome:

- higher than average reading ability

- performance on spatial, visual memory and mathematical tasks are lower than normal

- tend to people socially immature

- Have trouble relating to peers + difficulty 'fitting in'

Atypical sex chromosome patterns:

What are the three evaluations you have learnt in relation to atypical chromosome pattern's.

- nature/ nurture debate
- Research's important practical application (herlihly et al)
- Environmental explanations

Atypical sex chromosome patterns:

Evaluation: Contributed to the understating of the nature-nurture debate

Research into atypical sex chromosomes has contributed to understating the nature-nurture debate:

- Comparing individuals who have these conditions with chromosome typical individuals it is possible to the physical + psychological differences between the two groups

- These differences have a biological basis + as result of normal chromosomal structure

- suggests innate influences have power to effect psychology + behaviour (gender) supporting nature side of the debate.

COUNTER:

- Use another theory to represent nurture

Atypical sex chromosome patterns:

What has research into atypical sex chromosomes helped us understand?

Research into atypical sex chromosomes has contributed to understating the nature-nurture debate:

- Comparing individuals who have these conditions with chromosome typical individuals it is possible to the physical + psychological differences between the two groups

Atypical sex chromosome patterns:

Evaluation: Research + practical application

A strength of research into atypical sex chromosome patterns is that it has important practical application:

- \`Research into this area means that people with Klinefelter's + Turner's will be diagnosed earlier + more accurately

HERLIHLY ET AL (2011) studied 87 people with Klinefelter's syndrome. Found: that those who had been diagnosed + treated from a young age - had significant health benefits compared to those diagnosed in adulthood

- positive outcomes / pratical application

COUNTER:

- Only 1/3 of people aware that they have Klinefelter's
- Means though's involved in psychological research have been diagnosed \= likely to have more serve symptoms than others

- may not be representative of all the people with the syndrome - limiting generalisations that can be made

Atypical sex chromosome patterns:

What has Herlihly et al research into Klineflter's syndrome

HERLIHLY ET AL (2011) studied 87 people with Klinefelter's syndrome. Found: that those who had been diagnosed + treated from a young age - had significant health benefits compared to those diagnosed in adulthood