“Outline and evaluate the biosocial approach to gender
development”
A01 –
BIOSOCIAL THEORY
Proposed by Money and Ehrhardt
Suggests when a biological boy or girl is born, social labelling and
differential treatment interacts with biology (e.g. hormones) to steer
development
Sex rearing is the important part in gender development because biology
determines the sex of the rearing – so the child is treated according to
their biological sex
Suggested the key to development is the initial biological label because it
determines how the child is treated by society
SOCIAL ROLE THEORY
Proposed by Eagly and Wood
Selective pressures only cause physical differences between sexes, as
opposed to the evolutionary explanations that also include psychological
differences.
These physical differences then lead to sex role allocation, which then
creates psychological differences.
Division of Labour
Occurs in social role theory when biologically based differences allow
sexes to perform certain tasks better
So in societies where strength is not necessary or there are alternative
childcare options – social roles are similar and psychological differences
are reduced
Mate Choice
Social role theory explanation states what men and women seek is related
to social role – not the reproductive value of their mate
Men = providers, women = domestic individuals – so different social roles
explain sex differences in mate choice because both sexes want to
maximise their outcomes by choosing a mate that’s successful in their
social role
Hormonal Differences
Are an outcome of social role rather than the cause – e.g. testosterone
doesn’t cause aggression but it’s the outcome of men competing and
being more physical
A02 –
RESEARCH 1 – Luxen
POINT – criticised biosocial approach to gender development by suggesting
evolutionary theory can provide a simpler explanation
EVIDENCE – found that animals and young children show sex differences in toy
preferences
EXPLAIN – this suggests differences are biological not psychological or social,
because sex role socialisation is unlikely to have happened at this young age
development”
A01 –
BIOSOCIAL THEORY
Proposed by Money and Ehrhardt
Suggests when a biological boy or girl is born, social labelling and
differential treatment interacts with biology (e.g. hormones) to steer
development
Sex rearing is the important part in gender development because biology
determines the sex of the rearing – so the child is treated according to
their biological sex
Suggested the key to development is the initial biological label because it
determines how the child is treated by society
SOCIAL ROLE THEORY
Proposed by Eagly and Wood
Selective pressures only cause physical differences between sexes, as
opposed to the evolutionary explanations that also include psychological
differences.
These physical differences then lead to sex role allocation, which then
creates psychological differences.
Division of Labour
Occurs in social role theory when biologically based differences allow
sexes to perform certain tasks better
So in societies where strength is not necessary or there are alternative
childcare options – social roles are similar and psychological differences
are reduced
Mate Choice
Social role theory explanation states what men and women seek is related
to social role – not the reproductive value of their mate
Men = providers, women = domestic individuals – so different social roles
explain sex differences in mate choice because both sexes want to
maximise their outcomes by choosing a mate that’s successful in their
social role
Hormonal Differences
Are an outcome of social role rather than the cause – e.g. testosterone
doesn’t cause aggression but it’s the outcome of men competing and
being more physical
A02 –
RESEARCH 1 – Luxen
POINT – criticised biosocial approach to gender development by suggesting
evolutionary theory can provide a simpler explanation
EVIDENCE – found that animals and young children show sex differences in toy
preferences
EXPLAIN – this suggests differences are biological not psychological or social,
because sex role socialisation is unlikely to have happened at this young age
