3.3 - Gender and Sexual Orientation

Gender Development

• Nature vs. Nurture:

  • Nature (Biology): Genetic differences between males and females (sex chromosomes and hormones) contribute to gender.

  • Nurture (Environment): Social and cultural factors also shape gender identity and roles.

• Key Terms:

  • Gender Roles: Societal expectations about how men and women should behave.

  • Gender Identity: One's internal sense of being male, female, or another gender.

  • Gender-Typed: Acquiring behaviors and characteristics associated with a particular gender.

Traditional Gender Roles

• Females:

  • Expectations: Nurturing, emotional, dependent, focused on home and family.

• Males:

  • Expectations: Independent, assertive, leaders, providers, less emotional.

Social Learning Theory and Gender

• Key Idea: Children learn gender roles through:

  • Observation and Imitation: Watching and copying the behavior of others.

  • Rewards and Punishments: Receiving approval or disapproval for certain behaviors.

Remember:

• While cultural differences exist, there is also great variation within cultures.

• Gender roles can evolve over time and vary across different societies.

Gender Schema Theory

• Key Idea: Children learn cultural expectations about gender and then adjust their behavior to fit those expectations.

• Example: A child might avoid playing with dolls because they see it as a "girl's toy."

Sexual Orientation

Definition: A person's sexual attraction to others.

• Heterosexual: Attraction to the opposite sex.

• Homosexual: Attraction to the same sex.

• Bisexual: Attraction to both sexes.