1.0 Introduction
This essay will be outlining and evaluating the biological explanations for gender development. Biological psychologists proposed that there is no division between sex and gender, therefore, implying that gender is influenced and predetermined by biological factors. Gender development is dependent on two biological factors these being the role of hormones and the role of chromosomes which result in brains developing differently thus causing differences in behaviours between genders.
1.1 Role of Hormones
Hormones are chemical substances triggered by the endocrine system which influence the development of the brain and the sexual reproductive systems. It was suggested that hormonal influences might extend to the hypothalamus and that there may be a male and female hypothalamus, (Geoffrey Harris et al 1955). Male and female brains develop differently due to the exposure of different amounts of hormones in the womb. When a foetus is exposed to testosterone it causes the Wolffian system to develop into the male reproductive system, thus …show more content…
supports the biological explanation for the role of chromosomes. The study was conducted in the Dominican Republic where the family had 10 children, 4 of these children were born as females with normal female genitalia and were raised as typical daughters. However once these 4 children had reached puberty, they had developed testes and a regular penis, their vaginas were no longer existing. Extensive research has shown that they had inherited a mutant gene from an early common ancestor. This particular study supports the theory because it shows that this particular mutant gene changed the sexes of the children from female to male and also changed their gender from feminine to masculine regardless of their upbringing as girls. This strengthens the notion that genes influence gender thus increasing the theories internal
This essay will be outlining and evaluating the biological explanations for gender development. Biological psychologists proposed that there is no division between sex and gender, therefore, implying that gender is influenced and predetermined by biological factors. Gender development is dependent on two biological factors these being the role of hormones and the role of chromosomes which result in brains developing differently thus causing differences in behaviours between genders.
1.1 Role of Hormones
Hormones are chemical substances triggered by the endocrine system which influence the development of the brain and the sexual reproductive systems. It was suggested that hormonal influences might extend to the hypothalamus and that there may be a male and female hypothalamus, (Geoffrey Harris et al 1955). Male and female brains develop differently due to the exposure of different amounts of hormones in the womb. When a foetus is exposed to testosterone it causes the Wolffian system to develop into the male reproductive system, thus …show more content…
supports the biological explanation for the role of chromosomes. The study was conducted in the Dominican Republic where the family had 10 children, 4 of these children were born as females with normal female genitalia and were raised as typical daughters. However once these 4 children had reached puberty, they had developed testes and a regular penis, their vaginas were no longer existing. Extensive research has shown that they had inherited a mutant gene from an early common ancestor. This particular study supports the theory because it shows that this particular mutant gene changed the sexes of the children from female to male and also changed their gender from feminine to masculine regardless of their upbringing as girls. This strengthens the notion that genes influence gender thus increasing the theories internal