Gender: Biosocial approach to gender development Flashcards
Who created the Biosocial Theory?
Money and Earhardt created the Biosocial Theory
What did the Biosocial theory argue?
This theory argued that the primary determiner of gender development is the sex of rearing, which is initially determined by biological factors. The child will be socialised based on this sex and their gender will develop based on how they are raised.
What did Money and Earhardt predict?
Money and Earhard predicted that if a gender male is mislabelled as a girl and treated as a girl before the age of three, he will acquire the gender identity of a girl.
Who created the Social Role Theory?
Social Role Theory was created by Eagly and Wood.
What does Social Role Theory argue?
Unlike the evolutionary theory which claims that selection pressures caused both physical, psychological and physiological differences, the SRT theory suggests that evolution only causes physical differences. Psyhcological differences are a consequence of these physical and physiological differences. SRT argues that physical differences between men and women allow them to preform vertain tasks more efficiently. For ecample, men’s greater speed and upper body strength make them more suitable for hunting.
Explain how SRT argues for differences between men and women
The physical differences between men and women create social roles-men are providers and women take on a domestic role. This may also explain sex differences in mate choice: each sex will seek a partner fulfils the social roles that they themselves do not.
What study supports Biosocial Theory
Smith and Lloyd
What did Smith and Lloyd find?
Babies dressed in unisex snow suits and given names that either matched their true gender or went against it. Found baby’s were given toys that matched gender of name. Also boys treated more vigorously than girls.
What goes against the Biosocial Theory?
David Reimer case
Evaluate David Reimer’s case
Even thought he was treated like a girl his biology was a more important factor as he reverted back to being a boy.
Name a study which supports Social Role Theory
Eagly and Wood
What did Eagly and Wood find?
Eagly and Wood used the Gender Empowerment measure. They found that in cultures where women had a higher status and male-female division of labour was less pronounced, sex differences in mating preferences became less pronounced.
This suggests that social roles are the driving force in psychological differences.
Name a study which goes against Social Role Theory
Gangestad et al.
What did Gangestad et al. find?
Gangestad et al. conducted an analysis of Eagly and Wood’s data after adding additional controls such as affluence and social structure.The finding was that gender equality was not related to sex differences, and thus they concluded that evolutionary can provide a better explanation for the joint effects of biology and culture.
AID: Nature V Nurture
The biosocial theory, is very unique when it comes to the Nature Nurture debate, as it lands on both sides of the argument. On the Nature side, the Biosocial Theory explains that dependent on which gender someone is, their genes and hormones are a factor in gender development of that individual. On the Nurture side, the Biosocial theory explains that due to a person’s gender they are subject to wear dresses and play with girl’s toys. However the Biosocial theory cannot explain cases like David Reimer, where social labelling him as a girl when his biology was male, did not work. He later turned back to his original gender. So study of David Reimer supports Nature argument more.
