The egg and sperm are known as gametes and each has 23 chromosomes which code all the child’s genetic material. One of the 23 is the sex chromosome (either X or Y). The ova contains only an X chromosome whereas the sperm carry either an X or a Y. When a Y sperm fertilises an egg, the embryo will have and XY pair of chromosome and will be a boy; when an X sperm fertilises an egg, the result is a female embryo with an XX pair of chromosomes. Hence it is always the male who determines the sex of the child.
When a foetus is formed, it has 2 sex chromosomes which decide if the foetus will be male or female. XX chromosomes give a female individual and XY chromosomes give a male. Initially, a foetus is bipotential but at about 6 weeks, the chromosomes ´switch on´ and the testes start to develop. As they develop, they release sex specific hormones. The testes release testosterone and the ovaries release oestrogen.
Describe and evaluate the biological explanation of gender. Refer to empirical evidence in your answer. (10 marks) The assumptions of biological approach are that your sex determines your gender through your genes and chromosomes. For example, if you are a male they believe you would show masculine traits. They believe this because; when a foetus is 6 weeks it has no female or male parts until hormones start to make ovaries or testes form.
Continuing with information about gender reassignment surgery, the article provides a quote from a 1996 policy regarding intersex children, as well as arguments and opinions of professors studying sexuality. In even greater detail, the following paragraph explains how research concludes that sexual nature is not pliable and that biology matters. The article mentions a study of males born with underdeveloped anatomy, and how after not undergoing gender reassignment surgery, they grew up as males, accepting their gender roles, and had functional reproductive organs. The article jumps back to the “John/Joan” case to explain doctors’ beliefs that through therapy and hormone injections, assigned gender roles can be fully accepted. It elaborates on how gender reassignment surgery causes psychological trauma and results in rejection of the assigned gender role, followed by discussing the 2000 policy.
Bodies are, so we think, natural, God- given, sacred, hardwired. Human babies come equipped with a set of male or female organs, hormones, and chromosomes (Conley, 2013). The term “sex” can also be advanced to “sexuality” which can be referenced to the sexual identity or sexual orientation of an individual. Since sex and sexuality is a biological trait it is believed to be fixed and determined only by
It’s it exciting to really understand how the circle of life begins. It all starts with a single egg, and a million sperm cells. Only one sperm cell can win the golden prize, which is the egg. Fertilization is a process that has to occur in order for new life to begin. The sperm contains twenty three chromosomes, which determine whether the child will be male or female once the sperm unites with the
Describe and evaluate the biological approach to gender development Biological psychology stresses the importance of our brain structure, genes and hormones for how we behave. It is believed that women and men act, think and feel differently because of how the brain works. This is supported through our genetic structure as females (XX) and males are (XY), it is said that sex is determined at conception and it is universal, where as gender is mailable and cultural. Gender relates to how you perceive and see yourself. Klinefelters syndrome (XXY) supports that we are a product of our genes, as a sufferer would have under developed genitals and a lack of body hair, which shows how a difference in genes can effect us.
If these androgens are released the Wolffian system will develop which leads to a male foetus. However if this hormone is not released the Mullerian system develops forming a female. The presence of the Y chromosome is responsible for the release of the androgens testosterone or dihydrotestosterone which interrupt the female developments. It is thought that humans are born with instinctive behaviours defining them either female or male. Milton Diamond provided evidence for this idea in his experiments with rats.
DNA is the main building blocks of our body. It makes up everything about us from the way we look to the way we act. The first strand of DNA is synthesized 1 hour after conception. Although the baby is smaller than a grain of sugar, everything is present for all that this person will ever become. How can we say it is a fetus when everything that makes us original from every other life on earth is implanted within 1 hour?
Describe and evaluate one or more biological explanation of gender development (24 marks) The biological approach states that a person’s gender is determined by their genetic makeup and it is the role of genes and hormones to aid the development of gender. Each person has 23 pairs of chromosomes, one of which are the sex chromosomes. There is usually a direct link between the sex chromosomes and the genitalia of a person and some psychologists believe that not only can biology determine a persons sex, but also their gender. Chromosomes determine sex whereas the hormones are said to determine gender because they impact the brain. Male brains differ from female brains in many ways – females tend to be better at empathising and are more talkative, for example (Hoag, 2008).