Gender Theories in Psychology

Biological Theory

  • Biological Theories assume that gender and sex are interrelated.
  • Nature (biology) is more important than nuture (environment)
  • Typical Chromosomes - Male (XY) - Female (XX)
  • Atypical Chromosomes - Male (XXY) - Female (XO)
  • Empirical Evidence - Money (1974) Bruce / Brenda Case Study
  • Male Sex Hormone - Testosterone
  • Female Sex Hormone - Oestrogen
  • Nurture is more important than nature
  • Gender is a learnt behaviour (4 stages)
  • Modelling (observing)
  • Imitation (copying)
  • Reinforcement (positive or negative)
  • Identification (adopting the behaviour of a model)
  • Empirical Evidence - Bandura (1965) Bobo Doll

Psychoanalytic Theory (Freud, 1933)

Cognitive Theory (Kohlberg, 1966)

  • The parental relationship is important is the development of gender
  • During the phallic stage (3 - 5 years) of psychosexual development gender development occurs
  • Boys go through the Oedipus Complex (castration anxiety)
  • Gilrs go through the Electra Complex (penis envy)
  • Children identify with the same sex parent
  • Evidence - Little Hans Case Study (Freud, 1909)
  • A child's gender schema changes with age (3 stages)
  • Gender Indentity (2 yrs +)
  • Gender Stability (3 - 4 yrs)
  • Gender Constancy (4 - 7 yrs)
  • Empirical Evidence - Damon (1977) - Boy George
  • Empirical Evidence - Slaby and Frey (1975)
  • Empirical Evidence - Ruble (1981)

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