Summary
Today we continued our discussion on the Biological Theories of Gender Development. We discussed chromosomal differences and brain structure differences. Neither genetic scientists nor neuro-scientists were able to find a conclusive pattern in our biology that explains gender development, however, some interesting conclusions were drawn.
Highlights
Chromosomes
Generally, female bodied people have XX chromosomes, male bodies have XY, though variations (XXX, XXY, XXO, etc.) exist. There is more genetic material on an X chromosome than a Y chromosome, and differences in chromosomes can help explain differences in physical strength, body fat percentage, height, etc., but when you match men and women of similar height/weight, these differences lessen, especially in terms of strength and brain size. Overall, most research supports that men and women are more similar from a genetic perspective than different, and differences in gendered behavior are difficult to explain in terms of genetics, if not impossible.
Brain Structure
Another theory of gender development relates to the possiblity that male and female brains may be structurally different, and brain scans of men and women have shown that there are differences in the parts of the brain men and women use given certain stimuli.
Examples were given about how the hippocampus area of brain is larger in gay men than in heterosexual men and that generally speaking men tend to utilize more of their left (logic & spatial reasoning) brain while women may use more of their right (creativity/empathy) brain.
In class, we discussed two books on this matter, Pink Brain, Blue Brain by Lise Eliot and Delusions of Gender by Cordelia Fine.
Lise Eliot: Debunking Gender Stereotypes
For those of you who were not in class on Friday, here is the link for the video we watched.
In this video, Lise Eliot discusses some of her findings. Eliot conducted extensive meta-analysis of previous neurological/gender research. Eliot explains that while subjectively people will talk about great differences in character traits, like empathy, between men and women, but when tested objectively the differences between the sexes become nearly indistinguishable.
Physical analysis of brain size reveals that on average men’s brains are approximately 9% larger than women’s. She notes that there was no corresponding 9% increase in IQ. Also, data on how much larger other organs in the body are from men to women (e.g. liver, heart, etc.) was either not to be found or relayed a similar 10-15% increase in size from men to women. This suggests that men’s brains are bigger because their bodies are generally bigger, and that brain size has no relation to gender development or expression.
Eliot did find some differences that appear to demonstrate a gender difference. In the areas of emotional memory and emotional processing there are observable differences in amygdala activation. It is in unknown if the cause is of a developmental/structural nature or social influence. Eliot also notes that physical aggression presents a measurable gender difference. However, she is hesitant to say that boys are more aggressive that girls. Instead she says that aggression tends to manifest differently. While boys tend to express physical aggression, girls tend to express verbal aggression.
In our class discussion after the video, students theorized that this could be related to the way in which boys and girls are socialized to express aggression. Eliot debunks the idea that pubescent boys are more physically aggressive due to an overwhelming amount of testosterone flowing through them, the research just doesn’t support this theory.
To touch more on the paragraph above, after writing a previous paper in another communication studies class about how theorist’s believe that men are socialized to express their aggression more often than women do to the amounts of testosterone flowing through them is common around many theorists, but it’s not only about being more physically aggressive. It’s about the mentality men have that creates emotions and feelings of whats theirs is theirs and if anyone or anything tries to tamper or disrupt a man’s mentality than they feel obligated to become a protecter, provider, or caretaker. for instance say a man’s significant other was getting negatively insulted, any man will get the urge to become that aggressor and become physically, mentally and emotionally ready to help such situations upon circumstances, which is a theory that it is truly a mindset or an attitude that men cannot control over their aggression. It just happens.
File Drawer Problem
The File Drawer Problem is a research phenomenon. When you have done research and the hypothesis was not proven, it can be hard to get your study published, or publicized. The research is then “filed away”.
Gender Similarity Hypothesis
Janet Hyde combined 40 different studies on gender differences and found that there is no basis for continuing to say there are differences between women and men and girls and boys on most of the things psychologists measure. In fact, only 4 areas where genders where statistically different: speed at which men and women throw a ball, distance men and women throw a ball, attitudes toward casual sex, and frequency of masturbation. In all other areas there are more similarities than differences. This study received very little attention from the media, despite the availability of an APA press release.
Vocabulary
Meta-analysis: Statistical technique to combine results from multiple studies to give a more powerful statistic.
Extra Research!
On the website for the National Association for Single Sex Public Education (NASSPE), it discusses the “differences” between girls’ and boys’ brains in regard to education and learning. The NASSPE says that there aren’t necessarily any major difference in brain structure but what is noticeable is the sequence in which different regions develop in the brains of boys and girls. This was discovered by observing certain skills in young children like language, motor and spatial skills. For example, “[it was] found that while the areas of the brain involved in language and fine motor skills mature about six years earlier in girls than in boys, the areas of the brain involved in targeting and spatial memory mature about four years earlier in boys than in girls.” If you’d like to read this study as posted on the NASSPE website in more detail, click the link!!
http://www.singlesexschools.org/research-brain.htm
You can also read the article that we will be reading for February 15th- 17th that addresses this study-
Very detailed and thorough notes, Group 2. The folks who were trapped by snow should be very grateful for the care you’ve taken in documenting our discussions.
Thanks, too, for the extra resources!