gender identity
Gender Identity
What is Gender Identity? Gender Identity is the psychological state of being male or female as influenced by cultural concepts of gender by appropriate behavior. What are the determining factors in gender identity?
Genetic: sex-determining genes in DNA are one factor. Androgens are male sex hormones. The most popular one is testosterone. Testosterone spurs development of the wolffian duct, which is the male reproductive or sex organs. Absence of the androgens hormone causes an opposing effect in that it causes degeneration of the wolffian duct and prompts development of female sex organs.
Nature and Nurture: psychosocial factors in gender identity are another contributing factor in gender identity. Masculine traits develop when a person is reared or raised as a boy (male). Feminine traits develop when a person is reared or raised as a girl (female).
Stereotypes: Gender roles, fixed, conventional, often distorted, grouping of ‘typical’ gender traits amongst male or females is to be considered as a factor:
Sexism states women are emotional and men are logical
Sexism states women are sensitive and men are sissies
Sexism states men are self assertive and women are pushy
Sexism states there is women’s work and men’s work
How can we describe a person’s masculine and feminine traits according to the continuum of masculinity-feminity? The major general assumption is that the more masculine a person is, the less feminine they are, and, likewise, the more feminine a person is, the less masculine they are:
Masculinity is summarized as being assertive and instrumental.
Femininity is summarized as being nurturing and cooperative.
A person whom is psychologically androgynous is capable of utilizing a greater variety of both feminine and masculine traits to meet the demands of various situations and to communicate in expressing talents and desires.
A person operating in psychological androgynous is likely to have a higher self esteem, as they are
What is Gender Identity? Gender Identity is the psychological state of being male or female as influenced by cultural concepts of gender by appropriate behavior. What are the determining factors in gender identity?
Genetic: sex-determining genes in DNA are one factor. Androgens are male sex hormones. The most popular one is testosterone. Testosterone spurs development of the wolffian duct, which is the male reproductive or sex organs. Absence of the androgens hormone causes an opposing effect in that it causes degeneration of the wolffian duct and prompts development of female sex organs.
Nature and Nurture: psychosocial factors in gender identity are another contributing factor in gender identity. Masculine traits develop when a person is reared or raised as a boy (male). Feminine traits develop when a person is reared or raised as a girl (female).
Stereotypes: Gender roles, fixed, conventional, often distorted, grouping of ‘typical’ gender traits amongst male or females is to be considered as a factor:
Sexism states women are emotional and men are logical
Sexism states women are sensitive and men are sissies
Sexism states men are self assertive and women are pushy
Sexism states there is women’s work and men’s work
How can we describe a person’s masculine and feminine traits according to the continuum of masculinity-feminity? The major general assumption is that the more masculine a person is, the less feminine they are, and, likewise, the more feminine a person is, the less masculine they are:
Masculinity is summarized as being assertive and instrumental.
Femininity is summarized as being nurturing and cooperative.
A person whom is psychologically androgynous is capable of utilizing a greater variety of both feminine and masculine traits to meet the demands of various situations and to communicate in expressing talents and desires.
A person operating in psychological androgynous is likely to have a higher self esteem, as they are
References: Spencer A. Rathus, Jeffrey S. Nevid, and Lois Fichner-Rathus.. (2011). Human Sexuality in a World of Diversity. Retrieved from Spencer A. Rathus, Jeffrey S. Nevid, and Lois Fichner-Rathus., PSY265 website.