Sexuality Today:
The Human Perspective
Eighth Edition
Part 1: Social and Biological Foundations
of Human Sexuality
Chapter 5
Developmental and Social
Perspectives on Gender
Copyright (c) 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
How Many Sexes Are
There?
 Western culture emphasizes two
 Some cultures see intersexuality as a “third sex”
 Intersexuality
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Hermaphrodite
Pseudohermaphrodite
2 out of 10,000 births
 Biological levels

Genetic, gonadal, body, brain
 Gender identity vs. gender role
Copyright (c) 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Sexual Differentiation
Prenatal Factors

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
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Chromosomes
Fetal Gonads
Fetal Hormones
Development of Body
Sex

DHT chemical present
leads to development
of male genitals
Copyright (c) 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Sexual Differentiation
Factors of Infancy and Childhood
 Sex assignment at
birth
 Differential
socialization
 Child’s body image
 Core gender
identity
Copyright (c) 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Sexual Differentiation
Factors at Puberty - Hormones
 Behavioral Responses


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Increased sex drive
Erotic fantasies
Sexual behavior
Vicky Kasala/Getty Images
Ryan McVay/Getty Image
 Physical Changes


Growth of genitals
Secondary sex
characteristics
Andersen Ross/Getty Images
Copyright (c) 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Adult Gender Identity
Copyright (c) 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Transgenderism
 Crossing of traditional gender lines because of
discomfort and nonconformity with gender roles
generally accepted by the society
 Originally conceived as pathological – not today
 Transsexual

Strong degree of discomfort – feel in wrong body
 Gender identity disorder and gender dysphoria

Expression of identity in a way that is socially
inconsistent with one’s anatomical sex
Copyright (c) 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Theories of Gender Role
Development
 Psychodynamic

Working through
Oedipal conflicts leads
to gender development
 Social Learning

Modeling and
socialization
 CognitiveDevelopmental

Thoughts reinforce
socialization
 Gender Schema

Social and cognitive
 Behavioral Genetics

Interaction of genes and
environment
 Multifactorial “Web”


Eclectic
Celebrate and understand
differences
Copyright (c) 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Gender in Culture & Society
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Growing up Female & Male in North America
“Sex Objects” vs. “Success Objects”
“Metrosexual” vs. “Retrosexual”
Then & Now Feminism
Gender-egalitarian cultures

Sudest Island near Papua New Guinea
Copyright (c) 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.