Gender Role Development Ch. 4 Sec.4

Gender and Sex Sex- physical and biological make up. (XX or XY chromosomes). –By age 2 or 3, most children can label themselves as a boy or girl.

Gender roles Gender role- set of behaviors that society considers appropriate for each sex.

Gender stereotypes Gender stereotypes- oversimplified generalization. (i.e., men are tough, women are emotional).

Gender roles Androgynous- combining male and female characteristics. –Aka “gender-neutral” or “non- binary” –Younger people don’t feel a need to define themselves along rigid gender lines.

Gender Gender Identity: How one individual identifies (male, female, gender-neutral, etc) Gender Expression: How we express ourselves in terms of gender (masculine, feminine, androgynous).

Gender Transgender: One who’s gender identity does not match their biological sex. Cisgender: One who’s gender identity and biological sex match. Intersex: One who is born with unique genitalia (approx. 1 in 1,600 births).

Origins of Gender Differences Biological Theory: –Role of anatomy, hormones, and brain organization. –Gender differences are the result of certain behaviors men and women adopted to survive.

Origins of Gender Differences Psychoanalytical Theory: –Freud: identification. –Boys identify with their father; girls with their mother. –But is this the cause or the result of gender differences?

Origins of Gender Differences Social Learning Theory: –Children learn by imitating gender models and from rewards and punishments. –Ex: boy may be punished for crying; girl may be punished for being too loud.

Origins of Gender Differences Cognitive-Developmental Theory: –Children learn by interacting with their environment and learning from experiences. –Children must first know they are male or female so they can form a gender schema.