A-typical gender development

• atypical gender development

  mismach between biological sex and the gender they are, condition where the external sexual characteristics of the body are perceived as opposite to they psychological feeling.

  desire to live as opposite sex

  often dress as opposite gender

  some people this causes stress and discomfort- this reason it is a recognised psychological disorder
• biological explanations- brain sex theory

  suggests gender dyshphora has a basis in the brain

  bed nucleus of the stria terminalis- involved in emotional responses

  area is larger in men than women found to be female sized in transgender females

  suggests people with gender disphoria have a BST which is the size of gender they identify with
• biological explanations genetic factors

  gene profiling studies preformed to try and identify genetic material

  gene variants of the androgen receptor which influences action of testosterone- masculinity in the brain
• hormonal explanation

  hormonal imbalances during foetal growth in the womb and later childhood development

  release of male hormones from the newly formed tested during third month of pregnancy with additional release twelve weeks after birth

  arguably gender problems occur when this doesn't happen- stress, illness etc

  similar happens with baby girl with oestrogen
• social explanations- psychoanalytic theoy

  gender dyspohroa in males- caused by the child experiencing extreme separation anxiety before gender identity has been established

  child fantasies of a symbiotic fusion with mother to remove anxiety

  danger of sep is gone

  child becomes mother- adopts female identity
• operant conditioning and SLT

  individuals are reinforced for exhibiting cross-gender behaviour e.g young boy playingnwith dolls, wearing a dress

  girls playing as dad etc

  also reinforce themselves and feel good causing the conflict between the sex and gender

  female/ male role models
• social- psychological cognitive explanations

  Liben and Bigler exensionof gender schema theory

  first pathway- acknowledges the development of gender schema which matches sex

  second pathway- boy likes playing with dolls

  no sex type gender ideas occur mostly lead to androgyny but for a small number leads to opposite gender identity
• evaluation

  heavily socially sensitive- even a mental disorder at all, few its their fault labelling them as ill

  bio reductonist- little evidence it is complete biological

  psychoanalytic theory- nothing for females, incomplete explanation