Sex - the biological category of male or female as defined by physical differences and
genetic composition and reproduction anatomy
Gender - the cultural, social, and psychological meanings that are associated with
masculinity and femininity
What motivates sexual behavior?
Testosterone - sex hormone that plays a part in sexual activity and motivation in both
men and women
Gender-role stereotypes - the beliefs and expectations people hold about the typical
characteristics, preferences, and behavior of men and women
Topics of Research Between the Sexes
1. Personality differences
2. Cognitive differences
3. Social differences
4. Sexual attitudes and behaviors
- Found that both men and women are relatively the same in all categories
- Differences that do exist do not reflect cause and such differences are not
natural, inevitable, or unchangeable
- Men and women are very similar in social, personality, and cognitive factors
Gender-role development
1. Social learning theory (of gender-role development): theory that gender roles
are acquired through the basic processes of learning, including reinforcement,
punishment, and modeling
a. Learning from your social environment
2. Gender Schema Theory: theory that gender-role development is influenced by
the information of schemes or mental representations of masculinity and
femininity
Evolutionary theories
genetic composition and reproduction anatomy
Gender - the cultural, social, and psychological meanings that are associated with
masculinity and femininity
What motivates sexual behavior?
Testosterone - sex hormone that plays a part in sexual activity and motivation in both
men and women
Gender-role stereotypes - the beliefs and expectations people hold about the typical
characteristics, preferences, and behavior of men and women
Topics of Research Between the Sexes
1. Personality differences
2. Cognitive differences
3. Social differences
4. Sexual attitudes and behaviors
- Found that both men and women are relatively the same in all categories
- Differences that do exist do not reflect cause and such differences are not
natural, inevitable, or unchangeable
- Men and women are very similar in social, personality, and cognitive factors
Gender-role development
1. Social learning theory (of gender-role development): theory that gender roles
are acquired through the basic processes of learning, including reinforcement,
punishment, and modeling
a. Learning from your social environment
2. Gender Schema Theory: theory that gender-role development is influenced by
the information of schemes or mental representations of masculinity and
femininity
Evolutionary theories
