Gender Identity Essay Example
Gender Identity
Autumn Messina
PSY/340
January 24, 2011
Melynda Marchi
Gender Identity
The development of our gender identity is influenced by both the biological nature of a person and society, but the biology is the foundation of our gender identity. In the following paragraphs I will be discussing the interaction between hormones and behavior, and how these interactions affect the determination of gender identity, the roles of biological factors nature and environmental influences, nurture on sexual differentiation and gender identity and which has the greater influence on gender identity: nature or nurture. Hormones and gender interaction will argue that biological psychology and environmental influences both have an affect on gender identity, however there is a greater influence from the environmental factors than there are from the biological process. While biological factors determine the sex of the individual, there are more similarities between the two genders than there are differences from the point of view of the chromosomes. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines hormone as a product of living cells that circulate in body and produce a stimulatory effect on the activity of cells. Thus, a hormone affects the cells of the body, causing changes to the body. “Androgens, the male sex hormones, play an essential role in male sexual differentiation and development” (Zhu) so the interaction between hormones and behavior affects the determination of gender identity through the stimulatory effect on the cells, caused by the hormones. When it comes to biological psychology and environmental influences, it is a question of whether nature or nurture has more influence on gender identity. We can determine this by looking at the role each plays on the body’s gender identification. The hormones affect the gender of the fetus, while the environmental influences affect the gender identity while in society. Every human being
Autumn Messina
PSY/340
January 24, 2011
Melynda Marchi
Gender Identity
The development of our gender identity is influenced by both the biological nature of a person and society, but the biology is the foundation of our gender identity. In the following paragraphs I will be discussing the interaction between hormones and behavior, and how these interactions affect the determination of gender identity, the roles of biological factors nature and environmental influences, nurture on sexual differentiation and gender identity and which has the greater influence on gender identity: nature or nurture. Hormones and gender interaction will argue that biological psychology and environmental influences both have an affect on gender identity, however there is a greater influence from the environmental factors than there are from the biological process. While biological factors determine the sex of the individual, there are more similarities between the two genders than there are differences from the point of view of the chromosomes. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines hormone as a product of living cells that circulate in body and produce a stimulatory effect on the activity of cells. Thus, a hormone affects the cells of the body, causing changes to the body. “Androgens, the male sex hormones, play an essential role in male sexual differentiation and development” (Zhu) so the interaction between hormones and behavior affects the determination of gender identity through the stimulatory effect on the cells, caused by the hormones. When it comes to biological psychology and environmental influences, it is a question of whether nature or nurture has more influence on gender identity. We can determine this by looking at the role each plays on the body’s gender identification. The hormones affect the gender of the fetus, while the environmental influences affect the gender identity while in society. Every human being