Each cell of the body contains 23 chromosomes that carry genes containing genetic instructions on an individuals physical and behavioural traits. The sex chromosome pair is responsible for determining the sex of the child. For example the female pair is XX and males is XY.
During early prenatal development there is no viable genitalia. At 3 months, if the foetus is to develop as male the testes produce testosterone causing male genitalia to develop. However, if male embryos are exposed to too little testosterone, or females exposed to high levels of testosterone this can result in the child being born intersex. Therefore genes and biological factors explain how individuals view their own gender.
Hormones influence brain development and genitalia which may influence gendered behaviour. Male and female hormones influence both genders in different ways. Male hormones 'masculinalise' the brain, female hormones led to better social skills and empathy. If female and prenatally exposed to high levels of male hormones this can explain why some girls develop 'tomboyish' behaviour. Hormones continue to have a role throughout life e.g. increases during puberty.
Young et al conducted an animal study injecting female monkeys with male hormones, producing female monkeys with male characteristics. Including engaging in more rough and tumble play and were more aggressive. It is suggested this is similar as to how human male hormones affect male brain development making them masculine. Within animal research we are able to gain some understanding of how genes and hormones may affect gendered behaviour, as testing this in humans would be unethical. But, we cannot assume for certain that genes and hormones affect humans in the same way. Ethical issues also arise as some may argue exposing animals to such tests with hormones exposure is cruel and morally wrong. However, such research strengthens a biological cause for development of gendered behaviour.
David Reimer provided support for a biological cause as he was unable to adjust to his newly assigned female gender. Money assumed environmental factors could override biological ones, this proved to be untrue. This case study demonstrates how strong biological factors can override environmental factors in gender development. Additionally, Reimer ended his life through suicide, which is far from typical, which may suggest that the trauma of being raised in his non-biological gender may have caused long-lasting psychological damage. However, this is a single case study therefore findings cannot be generalised and we cannot assume biological factors will always override psychological ones.
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) occurs when XX females are exposed to prenatally high levels of male hormones which can result in varying formations of male genitalia causing some to be raised male and some female. Research suggests that gender assigned at birth is accepted by some but not others. Therefore it is reductionist to assume that hormones or genes alone can explain gender development as this is not the case.
Understanding gender development has real world application, seen in the Olympics. Originally genetic sex was the determining factor whether an athlete completed as male or female. But, through further understanding of gender a ruling was put in place meaning genetics was no longer a decisive factor. Individuals, such as genetic males, were only excluded from female event if obviously physically male, leading to greater equality.
Young' research and the case study of David Reimer linked gender to be largely determined by biological causes such as genes and hormones, suggesting gender identification is largely caused by these factors. However, from CAH studies we see whether the assigned gender is accepted or not varies between individuals making it difficult to determine the main influencing factor. A purely genetic and hormonal approach ignores the role of free will and is deterministic as individuals have the choice of their gender which they may change later on. Therefore highlight that a complex interaction of both nature and nurture would best describe gender development and that a purely biological explanation is too simplistic.
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