TEXT9

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.