Genetic Distinction Of Gender: Nature Or Nurture?

The distinction of gender from sex was an important step in the fields of psychology and sociology. It allowed researchers, academics and practitioners to separate the social aspects of gender from the biology of sex (Muehlenhard & Peterson 2011, p. 793). It is generally accepted that the distinctive male or female genitals that a person is born with, and the release of male or female hormones determine sex, while gender is the combination of traits and characteristics culturally considered appropriate for males or females (Kirkman 2012, p. 354; Muehlenhard & Peterson 2011, p. 793). Questions of biological or genetic determinism followed this distinction and created a debate similar to the classic ‘nature or nurture?’ debate, although specific …show more content…
2012, p. 516). Not only has a baby’s sex been announced but so too has their gender. As congratulatory cards and gifts in pink a blue follow, the process of sex typing begins. Although sex typing; the assigning of culturally accepted values, expectations and behaviours is formulated purely on societal norms and has no biological basis, it begins only when sex is determined (Burton et al. 2012, p. 517). The distinctive gender socialisation pressures begin at birth and have a lasting impact of both men and women, significantly influencing the development of personality traits, emotional responses, skills, preferences and social interactions (Burton et al. 2012, p. 517; Maccoby 2000, p. …show more content…
Each interaction and experience is written on the slate of who that child will become. As an adult will they be nurturing and empathetic or will they be adventurous and goal-orientated? Gender socialisation greatly affects this. Play situations/scenarios provide parents with an opportunity to impart their knowledge and expectations regarding gender appropriate behaviour (Wood, Demarais & Gugula 2002, p. 39). Research has shown that parents actively encourage their children to play with toys traditionally associated with their gender e.g., dolls for girls and trains for boys (Burton et al. 2012, p. 518; Wood, Demarais & Gugula 2002, p. 39). Play that is considered typical of the opposite gender is often unconsciously discouraged by parents, especially fathers, who have been shown to be more rigid in their gender-stereotyped expectations (Burton et al. 2012, p. 518; Wood, Demarais & Gugula 2002, p. 40). Despite this, research has shown that when given a choice, children prefer toys considered ‘appropriate’ for their gender, suggesting that the toy preferences are bi-directional; do parents provide gendered toys to their children to encourage normative femininity/masculinity or because girls really do prefer dolls and boys really do prefer trucks (Maccoby 200, p.