...|Gender Identity | |Hormonal and Behavioral Interactions Affect Determination of Gender Identity | |To explain how hormones affect gender identity and sexual behavior or examine how the interaction between hormones and behavior can be | |somewhat complicated. It would be easier to explain if we could say that behavior is caused unequivocally by hormones in the body. What | |has been established though is that elevated levels of hormones increase the chance of certain behaviors, and certain behaviors increase | |the likelihood of change in hormones. What also has been established is that hormones carry messages and that they can affect facets of | |the body at different times (Kalat, 2001). When the body requires a certain process to be done or needs a certain protein made, the | |brain emits a signal to make a certain type of hormone. Those signals are sent through other kinds of hormones that are also in the body.| |Puberty is the time when hormones disperse and levels rise. The testosterone levels in males are usually higher than the estrogen levels | |and that’s when tissue and muscle growth give rise to masculinity. In females, the estrogen levels predominate resulting in femininity. | |At any rate, the lessened or heightened amount of either of these hormones in the...
Words: 1353 - Pages: 6
...Gender Identity Every sexual thought, attraction,preference, development, feeling, memory, fantasy, and choice stem from complex brain activity. A complex genetic code determines body type; but that type does not always dictate sexual identity. Sexual identity is an even more complex development that encompasses hormone levels, social learning, individual perception, and attraction. Humans are born genetically male or female; but that does not necessarily control which sexual identity the individual will discover. Planned Parenthood (2012) defines gender identity as how a person feels about and expresses his or her gender; despite genetic or natural gender assignment. Some humans are genetically male or female and identify with the traditional gender roles; but others may find that the traditional cultural norms do not match their feelings or thoughts. Sexual identity is the sexual part of human expression that does not include ideas like sexual orientation, sexual preference, physical gender, or body type. If an individual considers his or her gender as female and is at ease with referring to his or her individual sexual characteristics in feminine terms, his or her gender identity is female. Gender identity has nothing to do with the physical characteristics of gender; but focuses on how the individual thinks (either masculine or feminine) and how he or she expresses those feelings. Ghosh (2012) explains gender identity as “self-identified, as a result of a combination...
Words: 1429 - Pages: 6
...Lets Talk about Sex: The Importance of Parental Communication in Identity Development Introduction Experiences shape how one views, interacts and thinks about the world and themselves. During the time of adolescence, identities are still being shaped contrary to their possible adult appearance. Teens are capable of making decisions, which could change their lives forever. The involvements with their parents and peers have a large impact on their sexual identity, social identity and racial identity. As a future counselor, I am very interested in the decision making process in the adolescent age group. Growing up in a single parent household, my mother and I were really close. She established a relationship that allowed me to comfortably...
Words: 939 - Pages: 4
...Current Issue in Life-Span Development In the field of life-span development, current issues are plentiful. The development of homosexuality and the phase’s a person goes through to reach a place where they are comfortable with themselves is a journey in itself. It was in 1892 that the term homosexuality was first used. A homosexual (2011), according to Merriam Webster Online, “of or having sexual desire for those of the same sex.” In order to understand the development of identity of homosexuals, it is first important to be mindful of the framework of sexuality in general. The term homosexuality is used to depict the comprehension of sexuality however; in today’s society; the preferred verbiage to define individuals is being gay or lesbian. Homosexuality and Life-span Development Sullivan and Schneider (1987) argue that homosexual coming out in youth has to be seen from a non-derogatory developmental perspective. In an attempt to react to the unique pressures found in adolescents showing an increasing gay or lesbian identity, psychologists and counselors must become familiar with the distinctive development of gay and lesbian adolescents, in addition to the sexual identity development literature in general. Reviewing the developmental issues of gay and lesbian adolescents creates thoughts concerning developing services to assist them. Often times, adults are hesitant to pay attention to adolescent communications concerning sexuality. These feelings begin to arise during...
Words: 1176 - Pages: 5
...Gender Identity Paper Gender is determined at the time of conception. Gender Identity is defined as a personal conception of oneself as being male or female. Gender Identity issues can arise from several reasons and present in many different ways. Hormonal imbalance in the human body can cause an individual to question their true gender. The human body produces hormones which act as “chemical messengers” to try to regulate certain bodily functions like metabolism and growth. These hormones are produced in the endocrine system which includes the adrenal, pancreas, pineal, pituitary, and thyroid glands and manage things like puberty, growth, and physical changes. Hormones help the body maintain homeostasis or a state of balance within the body. When the body produces to much or to little of a hormone it can cause both physical and emotional problems. What are the interactions between hormones and do these interactions affect determination of gender identity? Hormones are responsible for sexual dimorphism (phenotypic sex differences) in the structure of the body and its organs. For example, hormones affect the internal sex organs, including genitals, and secondary sex characteristics that can operate to influence a person's behavior. Thus some research indicates that hormones are responsible for the gender makeup that acts as determinants of feminine and masculine traits. In addition, hormones affect behavior by interacting...
Words: 1715 - Pages: 7
...Gender Identity August 5, 2013 Gender Identity Paper Gender identity and sexual differentiation form a complex, interrelated paradigm involving genetic inheritance, internal and external physiology, endocrinology, neurological structure, sexual orientation, and socio-environmental factors. Before the 1950’s gender assignment at birth was a matter of ‘predominant sex’; in other words, dependent on external genitalia, structure of gonads, and sex chromosomes (Cohen-Kettenis, 2005). In the wake of the behavioral-cognitive movement that sprang up shortly thereafter, the ‘psychosexual neutrality’ theory was embraced, built upon the supposed, all-encompassing mechanism of experiential learning. More recently a policy of ‘optimal gender’ has been adopted, in which gender assignment is based on reproductive abilities, overall psychological functionality, and psychosexual efficacy. Regardless of which policy is used for gender assignment, an understanding of the underlying genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors involved in sexual differentiation is the key to elucidating the more complicated subjects of gender identity and sexual orientation. When the 23 single chromosomes of the male sperm and female ovum combine to create a genetically unique human zygote, complete with 23 pairs of chromosomes, it is the 23rd chromosome that determines genetic sex (Wickens, 2005). If the alleles of the 23rd chromosome are both an X, then the zygote is genetically female; if one X and one...
Words: 1134 - Pages: 5
...In comparing the identity development of gay and lesbian client (Homosexual Identity Formation) to the Racial/Cultural Identity Development Model they seems to both been devised to address the conflict that society minorities experience both internally and externally. Both models suggest that inappropriateness of being competent regarding a client’s culture, race, or sexual preference causes problems in assessing a client accurately. According to Marszalek & Cashwell (1999) the Homosexual Identity Formation proposes six-stages within it model to describe the gay or lesbian identity development that leads to changes occurring in the person accepting their homosexual identity. The R/CID model “propose five stages of development that oppressed people experience as they struggle to understand themselves in terms of their own culture, the dominant culture, and the oppressive relationship between the two cultures” (Sue & Sue, 2008 p.242). As a counselor I would feel comfortable in counseling Hermes with his identity issues. I am a person who feels that sexual orientation does not matter and poses no problem as long as the person does not try to force their sexual preference upon anyone else. I feel that people are simply people whether heterosexual or homosexual, gay, lesbian, or bisexual. Their sexual orientation would not impact the quality of work I devote to helping them combat an issue they are having problems with. However if a person is struggling within themselves...
Words: 568 - Pages: 3
...D’Augelli’s Model of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Development differs from its peer theories in sexual identity development in that it is not a linear theory. Most other theories talk about phases that people transition through. Individuals are unable to move onto the next phase until they have completed the former. It is my belief that people do not move in a linear fashion through identity phases and that instead they reach them at their own time, especially when it comes to sexual identity development. D’Augelli believed that the development of sexual identity could be a life-long process and as such that many changes happen over time. This theory taps into a concept called “developmental plasticity” which revolves around human responsiveness to environmental and biological changes. In 1994, D’Augelli’s theory was presented. It borrows much from the life span model meaning that “identity is a ‘social construction,’ shaped by varying degrees by social circumstances and environment and changeable throughout life” (Evans, et. al, 2010, p. 315). This type of timeline leaves room for individuals to move through the stages at their own pace. The theory has three variables that are involved first in identity formation. The three are personal subjectivities and actions, interactive intimacies, and sociohistorical connections. Personal subjectivities and actions ties to how individuals perceive and feel about their sexual identities; Interactive intimacies includes how family...
Words: 1574 - Pages: 7
...Nature vs. Nurture in Gender Development The interest in the Interaction between hormones and behavior is not new there has long been a question of whether an individual is born with a specific identity or whether they are nurtured or pushed into a certain role, and how well they can adapt to and assimilate into a specific gender. First it is important to understand that gender is complicated and consists primarily of of three elements. The Gender role, this is the assumption of behavioral traits which are either masculine or feminine and considered to be correct or characteristic of a specific sex. The second element of gender is gender identity; this is a individuals private and personal sense of their sex. Third is an individual’s sexual orientation, which encompasses is individual’s desire for other individuals of similar or different genders from themselves. Sex is a biological term and it is used to distinguish the gender referring to the actual functional differences between males and females, an individual’s sex is the genetic difference an individual’s sex is encoded their chromosomes. Gender is a psychological term encompassing several different elements, this is a person’s psychological, biological, and sociological factors and the individuals feelings about sex. Gender role is the assumption of behavioral traits that are markedly masculine or feminine, and typically the traits are what are socially deemed to be appropriate or characteristic of a certain sex...
Words: 1764 - Pages: 8
...law—whether or not it should expand to allow same-sex marriages. A decision on such an issue is undeniably difficult as it not only affect the society, but also future generations. I believe that the marriage law should be taken into account on current theories of sexual identity because every individual is unique and we should not expect them to be part of the norm. The development of sexual identity is a complex process and there are many factors that may affect it—genes, prenatal hormones, socialization, and many more that we have yet to discover. For this reason, we should consider all of these possible factors before calling someone a queer or setting the marriage law. First, when a woman becomes pregnant, her body will undergo so many changes that sometimes the baby will be born with an extra X chromosome (Klinefelter’s syndrome). Though a person who is born with this syndrome usually have a male sexual identity, but the incapability for him to produce testosterone will cause breast developments so this factor may change his sexual identity. In other words, when a person with Klinefelter’s syndrome reaches puberty and breast development begins, he might think he is actually a female and will have a female sexual identity and become attracted to men. If a man is psychologically a woman and so it will be normal for him to be attracted to male. We cannot force him to change what he thinks of himself, nor can we force him to marry a female because he appears to be a male. Second...
Words: 681 - Pages: 3
...DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN SEXUALITY NaShawn Edwards July 10, 2013 DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN SEXUALITY A young boy sits and watches children playing on the playground, trying to see which activity he wants to engage in. He sees a group of boys playing basketball on one side and down the way he sees a group of girls playing “double dutch” jump rope. Off to the side of them are some boys watching and talking to them, flirting. The young boy decides he wants play jump rope with them. The young man approaches the girls and they invite him to join them. The young man makes his first attempt to jump in the ropes. As soon as he is ready to jump in, he’s pushed from behind. The push is so forceful that he stumbles into the ropes, tangling them around him and falls to the ground, scraping his knee badly. He looks up and sees one of the boys that was watching the girls play jump rope, had pushed him. He started shouting obscenely things at the young boy and soon begin punching hitting and kicking him. The young boy didn’t know what he did wrong and why he was being treated this way. An adult saw what was going on and ran to stop it. He then took the young boy home with the little boy asking “Why?” See the young boy didn’t know that jump rope was known as “femininity”. He was raised to be open-minded and androgynous. The other boy was raised and taught the masculine gender roles and what he is appropriate and inappropriate behavior. Somehow, the other boy felt that the young boy’s behavior...
Words: 2218 - Pages: 9
...Internal and External Factors Influencing the Development of Gender Identity Lanita Doub Liberty University COUN 502-Human Growth & Development Laura Rolen August 11, 2012 Internal and External Factors Influencing the Development of Gender Identity Gender identity is defined as "the perception of oneself as male or female", ( Feldman, 2011). Gender is established by the time a child reaches his or her preschool years. "By the age of two, children consistently label themselves and those around them as male or female" (Feldman, 2011). Preschoolers are very rigid in their beliefs about gender-appropriate behavior. These beliefs become more pronounced by the age of five years. By age seven years the beliefs are still there, although less rigid. Preschooler's ideas of stereotypical behavior are compared to those of traditional adults. Preschoolers develop a gender schema, "a cognitive framework that organizes information relevant to gender"(Feldman, 2011). For example, a preschool boy may refuse to wear makeup in a school play because he knows that makeup is for girls only. In 1966, Lawrence Kohlberg proposed a cognitive-developmental theory, which explains the rigidity of preschoolers as their understanding of gender, and gender appropriate behavior (Feldman, 2011). Shuvo Ghosh states that the development of gender identity "clearly begins in the intrauterine stage". He attributes this to hormone production...
Words: 3635 - Pages: 15
...Gender Identity Paper Barbra Kill PSY/340 April 4th, 2012 Kelle Franklin Gender Identity Paper Gender is a psychological term that refers to the awareness and reaction to the biological term of sex. It is also a term that can have more than one meaning. Gender role is when someone adopts the masculine or feminine behavioral traits that are associated with each sex. Gender identity refers to a person’s personal sense of whether they are male or female, and sexual orientation or preference is whom a person is physically and sexually attracted to. Before the 1950’s gender assignment at birth was a matter of ‘predominant sex’; in other words, dependent on external genitalia, structure of gonads, and sex chromosomes (Cohen-Kettenis, 2005). In the wake of the behavioral-cognitive movement that sprang up shortly thereafter, the ‘psychosexual neutrality’ theory was embraced, built upon the supposed, all-encompassing mechanism of experiential learning. More recently a policy of ‘optimal gender’ has been adopted, in which gender assignment is based on reproductive abilities, overall psychological functionality, and psychosexual efficacy. Regardless of which policy is used for gender assignment, an understanding of the underlying genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors involved in sexual differentiation is the key to elucidating the more complicated subjects of gender identity and sexual orientation. Biological factors play a huge role in shaping children’s physical...
Words: 483 - Pages: 2
...Abstract There has been an ongoing debate over what affects gender identity more, nature or nurture. One’s gender is decided at the time of conception. Gender identity is defined as a personal belief of what it means to be a boy or a girl (Ghosh, 2013). As children grow and develop they are exposed to ideas, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs that aid in the development of their sense of self (Witt, 1997). It is impossible for a child to grow to adulthood without experiencing some form of gender bias, such as boys should not wear pink and girls should not play sports. The gender stereotypes they experience at home is reinforced by additional ones they are exposed to in school and from friends (Witt, 1997). Most times children will develop a gender identity that matches his or her genitalia but sometimes this is not the case. So the question remains, what affects an individual’s gender identity more, nature or nurture? Gender Identity Gender identity is defined as a “complex system of beliefs about the subjective self in relation to masculinity and femininity” (Ault & Brzuzy, 2009, p. 187). Gender roles, maleness, and femaleness, have been argued to be a factor of environmental influences, the nurture aspect of child development, and nature, the biological aspect. “Gender identity presents itself in how people outwardly express masculinity and femininity in everyday life and how others respond to this expression” (Ault & Brzuzy, 2009, p. 187)...
Words: 1480 - Pages: 6
...Gender Identity When the word gender is brought up, the first thought that comes to mind is weither the person is male or female. This is not necessarily correct. The term sex is a biological term that refers to the physical differences between males and females. If sex is the term that encompasses male or female, then what exactly is gender? Gender is a psychological term that refers to the awareness and reaction to the biological term of sex. It also is a term that can construe more than one meaning. Gender is determined by biological, psychological, and sociological factors. Gender consists of three elements: gender role, gender identity, and sexual orientation or preference (Kenyon, 1994-2006). Gender role, is defined as the outward manifestations of personality that reflect the gender identity. Basically, it occurs when someone adopts the masculine or feminine behavioral traits that are associated with each sex. Gender role is manifested within society by observable factors such as behavior and appearance (Ghosh, 2009). Gender identity refers to a person’s personal sense of whether he or she are male or female (or rarely, both or neither). Gender identity, in nearly all instances, is self-identified, as a result of a combination of inherent and extrinsic or environmental factors (Ghosh, 2009). And sexual orientation or preference is whom a person is physically and sexually attracted to. In this paper the topics of discussion will be the interaction between hormones and...
Words: 1364 - Pages: 6
