Gender glossary
Androgyny- when an individual has a balance of both masculine and feminine
traits and cannot be categorised as purely feminine or masculine. They have not
conformed to the gender roles set by their society or culture
Atypical Gender Development - means that a person has not developed
gender in the ‘normal’ way. This could be due to abnormal chromosomes and/or
abnormal hormone exposure in the womb, which results in a mismatch between
gender identity and biological sex
Atypical Sex Chromosome Patterns - inheriting too many or not enough
copies of sex chromosomes leads to atypical chromosome patterns, which can
cause serious developmental complications. Klinefelter and Turner syndromes
Chromosomes – the structure containing our DNA
Culture Influences: Gender - the effects of cultural influences can be seen by
examining the differences in male/female from one culture to another
Electra Complex - proposed by Carl Jung. Little girls become confused if they
want to be father’s centre of attention (mum) and wanting to be like him
Gender - term used to describe the psychological sense of being male or female
Gender Constancy - third and final stage in Kohlberg’s cognitive explanation of
gender development
Gender Identity – how individuals classify themselves and create their
individual sense of self
Gender Identity Disorder - gender dysphoria and is where a person has strong,
persistent feelings of identification with the opposite gender and discomfort with
their biological sex; this often results in significant distress
Gender Roles - societal norms that dictate the types of behaviour that are
generally considered appropriate for individuals based on their biological sex.
Gender roles are usually based on stereotypes regarding masculine and feminine
behaviour
Gender Schema Theory - children begin to form gender schemas (sometimes
termed sex-related schemas) as soon as they notice that people are organised
into categories of male and female. These schemas are developed through their
interactions with other children and adults
Gender Stability - second stage in Kohlberg’s cognitive explanation of gender
development. It occurs at around 4 years old and continues until a child is
approximately 7
Genotype – an individual’s genetic make-up
Androgyny- when an individual has a balance of both masculine and feminine
traits and cannot be categorised as purely feminine or masculine. They have not
conformed to the gender roles set by their society or culture
Atypical Gender Development - means that a person has not developed
gender in the ‘normal’ way. This could be due to abnormal chromosomes and/or
abnormal hormone exposure in the womb, which results in a mismatch between
gender identity and biological sex
Atypical Sex Chromosome Patterns - inheriting too many or not enough
copies of sex chromosomes leads to atypical chromosome patterns, which can
cause serious developmental complications. Klinefelter and Turner syndromes
Chromosomes – the structure containing our DNA
Culture Influences: Gender - the effects of cultural influences can be seen by
examining the differences in male/female from one culture to another
Electra Complex - proposed by Carl Jung. Little girls become confused if they
want to be father’s centre of attention (mum) and wanting to be like him
Gender - term used to describe the psychological sense of being male or female
Gender Constancy - third and final stage in Kohlberg’s cognitive explanation of
gender development
Gender Identity – how individuals classify themselves and create their
individual sense of self
Gender Identity Disorder - gender dysphoria and is where a person has strong,
persistent feelings of identification with the opposite gender and discomfort with
their biological sex; this often results in significant distress
Gender Roles - societal norms that dictate the types of behaviour that are
generally considered appropriate for individuals based on their biological sex.
Gender roles are usually based on stereotypes regarding masculine and feminine
behaviour
Gender Schema Theory - children begin to form gender schemas (sometimes
termed sex-related schemas) as soon as they notice that people are organised
into categories of male and female. These schemas are developed through their
interactions with other children and adults
Gender Stability - second stage in Kohlberg’s cognitive explanation of gender
development. It occurs at around 4 years old and continues until a child is
approximately 7
Genotype – an individual’s genetic make-up
