Psychology of Gender Roles - Essay Example

Gender identity al Introduction People tend to ask themselves on most occasions what actually determine ones sexual orientation. For along time, this has been a debated issue: nature versus nature, what is the connection to human sexual orientation. All in all we can define gender identity as a personal notion of oneself, what one identifies himself as, a male or a female sex. In some rare case, one can be both or neither. Gender identity is manifested in ones behavior and appearance. This paper is going to explain in details the relation between behavior and hormones and how the two determine gender identity. The paper will also look into the roles of nature-biological factors, how the environment/nurture influences gender identity and differentiation. Current argument on the issue and how bio psychology can help resolve this case Roles of biological factors Sexual reproduction is made possible by biological differentiation. Productive man has two chromosome sex chromosome x and sex chromosome y. Chromosome Y determine the sexual differentiation. Its absence results into a girl being born while, its presence result into a boy. Testosterone which is released during sexual intercourse stimulates reproductive organs development, and the male genitalia. It also some how affect the nervous system which influences male pattern behavior after birth (Collaer & Hines, 1995).In most cases, people identify gender in terms of girls or a boy. At birth, male and female posses distinctive sexual organs and as they grow their body becomes more differentiated by the development of secondary sexual characteristic. Hormones are chemical messengers that play a vital role in this development of an individual both growth and shaping gender identity during puberty. They enable differentiation of the sexual organ. At puberty the release of hormones for growth results to physical differentiation between both males and female: male’s voices deepen, pennies and testis enlarges and hair appears in pubic parts, under the armpit and on the face. For females, they start to have monthly periods (menstruation), hips broaden, and body hair appears (Hines, Brook, & Conway, 2004). According to John money (1994), sex is what one is biologically, while gender is what one becomes socially. Money argues that one is either a male or female depending on his perception of himself/herself. Even "though,” it has been biologically proven that one sex is identified at birth some question arises such as is it possible that there is a gene called gay gene? Congenital adrenal hyperplasia is excessive production of androgen and masculinizing sex hormone in women. It is a condition that makes them appear masculine and exhibit male traits, even though they physical appearance is that of a woman. Such women are in most cases interested in male activities than female activities this is attributed to excessive exposure to male sex hormone at the uterus. The effect from hormones influences an individual’s action that results to either having male bodies or female. Environmental influences Over the years theories have been put forward trying to explain how the environment influences an individual identity and to what extent. A number of environmental factors are associated with an individual sexual desire such as hyper sexual behavior (angstrom &Hanson 2006). Other influences caused by the environment include the first time one has sexual intercourse and what age, number of sexual partner. In any case, the question of to what extent the environment, affects sexual behavior, is vital in trying to explain the sexual desire concept of an individual. Another way that the environment influences an individual gender identity is in the manner one is treated by those around them for example take a case of two identical twins that are treated similarly by those around them which causes them to exhibit similar traits. Nature Nature is represented in what we born as and cannot control. The gene one receives from his parent is what determines his biological make up. According to Richard Darwin we are born with a selfish gene and human main purpose in life is to give birth and continue humanity. At birth when a child is born most parent treat their children depending on the child gender if the child is a boy then he is taught how a boy ought to behave from the word go aggressive and independent a girl on the other hand is pampered and treated with more care than the boy she is allowed to be emotion. In short the social interaction plays a crucial role in determining gender identity of an individual. Gender dysphoria is a condition that occurs when one is unable to merge they biological, social and psychological side of their gender. In some cases, some people tend to believe that they posses the wrong bodies: their perception of themselves is in consistence with their bodies such people desire to have different bodies. It is natural for one t to perceive himself as a man or woman depending on his exposure to androgen and psychosexual differentiation. in some cases those who do not naturally accept they fate as either men or women all considered as sinners because nature reveals the divine order of the creation Nurture Nurture holds that "at birth" we are psychosexual neutral and how we socialize determines human gender identity we define nurture as the effect people around you had when one was growing up a person character in most cases is determined by his parent the values they teach them and how they are tea red by even they friends take for example a boy who is born of the parent who initial expected a girl and decide to treat the boy child as a girl on most occasion the boy will turn out to be a soft character and might prefer the girls company to the boys even though he is. Having defined the two lets look at how they influence an individual identity. In recent years, nature vs. nurture has been and a lot of examination carried on the issue by psychologists and sociology. It is said that one obtains his father brown eyes and his mothers freckles; however, hypothesis is nullified when it comes to orientation of sex. A number of scientists believe that the traits associated with sexual orientations are predetermined. Those who do not agree with them says that this trait are learned from parent the society and the environment in general. Even though phenotypic characteristics are inheritable from parent to they children. In most cases, it is not possible for one to inherit his intrapersonal traits: personality and sexuality. Psychologists have conclusively determined that it is possible, for nature or nurture constitutes to individuals sexual orientation. The issue as to whether one can be born as gay, lesbian, straight or bisexual has been debated on by the scientist or whether these traits are as a result of pressure from influence or social norms. According to Powell people behave in a certain manner because of they genetic predisposition or they animal instinct that include human actions. This is the nature theory of man behavior and is made up of hormonal imbalances and genomic mutations. Nurture theory of man behavior claims that people tend to think and act in definite ways depending on how they were taught the theory is made up of cultural factors, environment factors and conditioning (Powell). Based on the above information neither nurture nor does nature have a greater influence on gender identity. It is all matters of what one believe if one believes that they had a personality at birth then one is a believer of the nature theory. However if, one believes that they developed their personality based on encounters in ones life from when one was a child then one becomes a believer of nurture theory. What ever one believes is what defines his/her true identity. Most people, who have issues with their gender identity face discrimination, prejudice, and violence such people suffer from depression as a result of victimization as just punishment. Gay mostly face prejudice from members of the public they are criticized and people tend to view them as sinners they fear to even go to public places in fear that people will humiliate them. Current arguments about sexual identity and how biopsychology may help resolve the argument Some people such as Wilson believe that people with gender issues are victims violence discrimination and prejudice they suffer a lot of stress with nobody showing any concern or trying to understand what they are going through this marginalized groups made up of the lesbians gays and the bisexual are ignored by the society and taken as out cast .recently this groups have been on press demanding their be treated as normal human beings. Even though some states have allowed gay marriage this practice is not yet accepted in many places. Gays and lesbian face the strongest opposition from the church and other religions. Other debates that have been revolving around this issue are about the trans people or people who charge their gender most critics of this act argue that someone who alters his God given sexual identity that is physically is like questioning his creator and that this is not acceptable. The Trans gender discrimination survey conducted showed that injustices for people with gender issues were rampant. Bio psychology a can be used to solve the problems posed by gender identity cases this by enlighten people about gender identity the general public should taught to respect people with gender identity issues and those who have such condition should be encouraged and not condemned as a sinner after its all in the mind of an individual. Hines and Conway (2002) went on to describe more stereotypical characteristics of men including school athletes, coaches. According to him, School sports are recipe for creating bad marriages, social misfits’. His claim can be well supported by examples of lives of many sportsmen including Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, and Steve McNair. For instance, Tiger Woods was world-renowned and respected athlete until he was found to have maintained relationship with numerous women while married. Steve McNair even lost his life to an illicit relationship. All these examples support Therouxs stereotyping of men with few exceptions. We can also prove the case similarly for women that they are more sensitive, gentle, and friendly as the author has hinted in his article. Hines and Conway (2002) reveals why boys and girls have different tastes that distinguish and separate them clearly from one another. One can find stereotypical statements throughout the article such as It hasnt even got women to stop dieting and men to stop interrupting them. It also explains and offers some insight into why Barbie is still one of the most popular brands in spite of its higher price. It symbolizes and embodies the look, beauty and the physique that girls dream of. We as parents, encourage our girls to tread the same path that was laid before us by the previous generations. I do not remember seeing a single mother talk very high of her girls athletic abilities or driving skills as much as she does of her cooking and painting. References Money, J (1994). "The concept of gender identity disorder in childhood and adolescence after 39 years". Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy 20 (3): 163–77. Hines, M., Brook, C., & Conway, G. S. (2004). Androgen and psychosexual development: core gender identity, sexual orientation and recalled childhood gender role behavior in women and men with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). Journal of Sex Research, 41(1), 75-81. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15216426 Etheridge, R. (2001). A new species of Linoleums (Reptilia: Squamata: Tropiduridae) from Mendoza province, Argentina. Cuad Herpetolol, 15(1), 3-15. 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