Where do you think gender differences come from?

psychlotron.org.uk

What do we mean by the

nature-nurture debate?
The debate about whether variations in psychological &
behavioural traits are caused by inherent or
environmental factors

psychlotron.org.uk

Nature
The nature debate states that gender is biological. This
explains the strong relationship between a persons sex and
gender.

psychlotron.org.uk

Evolutionary mechanisms such as procreation are

instinctive, this could mean that gender is innate as well.

Gender is a essentially a product of socialisation.

Therefore, family upbringing and societal expectation
must play a role.

It explains why some people adopt the opposite gender

role to their sex.

It also explains cultural variations in gender roles.

People will rely on cultural beliefs, values and norms.

psychlotron.org.uk

Nurture

What exactly is gender

Gender- the state of being male or female (typically
used with reference to social and cultural differences
rather than biological ones).

psychlotron.org.uk

Gender development
Geneticists and other biological scientists have argued
that genetics and hormones predetermine almost
everything about our sexuality and gender whereas
evolutionary theorists, sociologists and psychologists
claim environmental and stereotypical influences are
responsible

psychlotron.org.uk

Nature and nurture

Gender
differences
result from
inherent
differences
between female
and male
(genes,
chromosomes,
nervous system,
hormones).

Interactionis
m

Nurture

Gender
differences are
caused by
innate
tendencies that
are modified by
environmental
factors

Gender
differences
result from the
different
experiences that
females and
males have as
they develop
(learning from
family, peers,
society)

psychlotron.org.uk

Nature

Universal features (found everywhere) would suggest an

innate basis for gender and support the nature view

Culturally specific features (found in some places not

others) would suggest that gender is learned and
support the nurture view

psychlotron.org.uk

The Evidences
Fagot (1978) Investigating Parental role and the effect on
gender.

psychlotron.org.uk

Parents acted in a more positive way when a child was

engaged in gender- appropriate behaviour and in a more
negative way in the opposing instance.

In a study samples of TV adverts were taken over a

month. 200 were analysed according to the central
figure of the advert.

Men were presented in autonomous roles (for example,

as professionals, celebrities) whereas women were most
likely to be presented in familial roles (for example as
home-makers).

psychlotron.org.uk

Western Study

The Relationship between

Sex and Gender across
Cultures
Differences in sex roles exist universally

Georgas et al. (2006) study on 27 countries found that

women did most of housework.

Fathers concerned with finances, expressive issues,

childcare in all countries.

Mothers concerned with childcare only in less-affluent

countries.

Cultures differ in nature and intensity of differentiation

between the sexes; gender, gender roles, gender-role
ideologies and gender stereotypes.

psychlotron.org.uk

Culture and Gender

Stereotypes
Williams and Best (1982) studied 30 countries and
found high pancultural agreement on the adjectives
used to describe males and females.

In all countries, adjectives associated with men were rated

as being stronger and more active.

Participants from Japan and South African rated male

characteristics as more favorable; Italy and Peru rated
female characteristics more favorable.

psychlotron.org.uk

Interactionist Approach
Many psychologists nowadays adopt an interactionist
approach to explaining gender, and recognise that
gender is a product of both biology and environmental
experiences.

psychlotron.org.uk