Gender INTRODUCTION

Learning objectives Understanding the terms ‘sex’, ‘gender’, ‘androgyny’ and ‘gender dysphoria’. Describe the differences between male and female genes, hormones and brain structures Understand the types of evidence used to link sex differences to gender differences. Understand the relationship between sex and gender according to the biological approach.

Sex and gender Sex of a person The biological fact of whether someone is male or female. Gender of a person Masculinity or femininity Much more subjective.

Androgyny Sandra Bem (1974) argued that each person is A blend of anima (feminine) and animus (masculine) characteristics. Measured by the Bem Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) Four different gender types.

Bem’s study (1974) 50 male – 50 female students Rate a list of 200 personality trait words e.g. reliable, honest, gentle, assertive in relation to how desirable they were for men and women. This generated stereotypes. Bem selected 20 words which were consistently rated as desirable for women and 20 for men. How do you rate the following?

Which words describe females? Gentle Assertive Independent Understanding Sensitive Ambitious Dominant Affectionate

Procedure continued 20 neutral items were also used. The 60 items constituted BSRI (Sex Role Inventory) Students rated themselves on each of the 60 items: 1 (almost never true of me) to 7 (almost always true of me) Produced a score out of 20 for eahc of the sub-scales of masculinity, femininity and neutrality. People divided into one of four gender types.

Masculine High score on masculinity and low on femininity

Feminine High scores on femininity and low on masculinity

Androgynous High scores on both.

Undifferentiated Low scores on both

Sex-typed This refers to masculine and feminine types. Bem argues that sex-typed individuals tend to be: Restricted in gender role behaviours Have poorer psychological health Androgynous individuals have better psychological adjustment.

Methodology Bem carefully developed the questionnaire But use of students as raters may have produced bias Students might have more egalitarian views of gender than the general population. Difficult to ensure informed consent when using the questionnaire on the internet.

Gender identity Do you classify yourself as male or female? For most people, sex and gender correspond. But some experience Gender Dysphoria Strong desire to change sex.