THEORIES OF GENDER DEVELOPMENT:The Biological Approach,

Gender Issues In Psychology (PSY - 512)

Lesson 09

THEORIES OF GENDER DEVELOPMENT

Gender development is process of identifying oneself being male or female. Gender roles are expected set

thinking and behavior patterns for males and females. Following approaches attempt to explain behavioral

differences between male and female. Before viewing the interpretations of various approaches we must take

into account the importance of nature and nurture in development.

Nature and Nurture

Nature is hereditary influences and nurture is environmental influences. Today developmental scientists

recognize that both influences are essential and are mutually influential. E.g. child's response to parenting an

(environmental influence) is determined by child's temperament and other inherited characteristics.

Development and expression of heredity characteristics is also effected by environmental influences. Like in

past century there have been significant increases in average height because of improved nutrition and medical

care, in spite of the fact the height is strongly inherited characteristic.

So, is it nature that influences nurture, or is it nurture that modifies nature?

Psychologists have tried to explain the phenomenon of gender differences according to their respective

theoretical approaches.

Psychological approaches to explaining gender differences:

The Biological Approach

The Behaviorist/ Social Learning Approach

The Biological Approach

The approach emphasizes the gender role differences are the result of biological processes. In human beings

there are 23 pairs of chromosomes. 23rd pair of chromosome is called sex chromosome in females it is XX and

in males it is XY. According to biological theory differences in chromosomes (X/Y) and hormones

(testosterone/estrogen) determine the behavioral differences between boys and girls. Males are more aggressive

in almost all cultures and male child has higher mortality rate than female child. Biological view explains this

phenomenon with the findings that Androgen hormones are linked to disruptive and aggressive behaviors in

males. Androgens hormones are related to male characteristics; most important androgen is testosterone. XY

chromosomal makeup may not be as stable as XX and therefore play a role in higher mortality rates for men.

XX chromosomal makeup and the hormone estrogen seem to make women less vulnerable to physical

problems so women live longer.

The study of Money and Ehrhardt (1972) found that females exposed to high levels of androgens prenatally are

tend to be more physically active like boys than their peers. Whereas, absence or low levels of androgens leads

to development of female characteristics. The British fraternal study found that girls with twin brothers are

more active and adventurous than girls with twin sisters; researcher attributed this to the presence of higher

androgens.

Biological Differences in Brain

Men's left side of brain is more developed that is responsible for conventionally logical thought, abstract and

analytic thinking. Women's right side of brain is more developed that is responsible for imaginative, artistic

activity, holistic & intuitive thinking, visual and spatial tasks.

This approach attributes the development of gender roles to biological processes but also acknowledge the

importance of cultural differences, cognitive processes and sex-stereotypes.

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