PSYA3:Gender Biological: Hormones & Genetics

Miss Russell

Gender: Biological Explanations To Start: Gender-bread! 5 Minutes

You have 5 minutes to make one gingerbread-woman and one gingerbread-man.

Think about what it means to be male and female.

Gender: Biological Explanations What is Gender? 5 Minutes

Gender: Who a person is in terms of masculinity and femininity.

Gender Identity: An individual’s perception of themselves as masculine or feminine.

Sex: Biological fact of being a man or a woman e.g. difference in genitals at birth.

Sex Identity: Biological Status

Today we will consider…

• What is ‘gender’ and how does it differ from sex?

• What is the relationship between biological sex and gender, according to the biological approach?

• How do males and females differ in terms of genetics, hormones and brain structure?

• What happens to gender when chromosomal abnormality occurs?

Gender: Biological Explanations

Gender: Biological Explanations Group Task 10 Minutes

Barbie: Ken:

Sindy:Action Man:

Gender: Biological Explanations Group Task 10 Minutes

In your groups consider the information presented to you on the fact sheet. The sheet focuses on how either hormones or genetics play a role in gender development. Two groups have hormones, two groups have genetics.

Use the information to fill out your learning table as a group. Allocate each person one key term to focus on.

Apply this information to your character, as if they were a real person!

- How has their gender been determined according to the information on your sheet?

- What makes them male/female in terms of hormones or genes? - E.g. What chromosomes does Ken have? What hormones will Barbie

have and how have they caused her to develop a female gender?

Be as creative as you like but be prepared to share your work!

Gender: Biological Explanations Group Task

How have Barbie’s genes caused her to develop a female gender?

Gender: Biological Explanations Group Task

How have Ken’s genes caused him to develop a male gender?

Gender: Biological Explanations Group Task

How have hormonesinfluenced Action Man’s male gender?

Gender: Biological Explanations Group Task

How have hormones influenced Sindy’s male gender?

Gender: Biological Explanations So…the big conclusion…

So the biological approach argues that it is the physical differences in sex, which cause gendered behaviour. Men and women act masculine and feminine because their genes and hormones tell them to do so.

But what happens to gender when biological (chromosomal/hormonal) abnormalities arise..?

Gender: Biological Explanations Task: Article Treasure Hunt 5 Minutes

Read the article on the Barista twins. Those who find the following bits of key information and fill out their sheet accordingly in ten minutes, will earn a competition point.

1) Who is the article about? 2) What happened to them? 3) What caused this? 4) How do they feel about

this? 5) What does this mean in

terms of the biological approach to gender development? For early finishers: Think about how this study could be evaluated…

Gender: Biological Explanations To Finish: Exam Question (A01) 10 Minutes

Read the exam question answer.

Fill in the gaps.

With your partner decide:

1)What is good about the answer? 2)What could be improved? 3)What mark would you give it out of 5?

Why?