Module 49 Gender Development

LEARNING TARGETS

• 49-1 Discuss how the meaning of gender differs from the meaning of sex.
• 49-2 Describe some ways in which males and females tend to be alike and to differ.
• 49-3 Identify the factors that contribute to gender bias in the workplace.
• 49-4 Explain how gender roles and gender identity differ.

• 49-1 How does the meaning of gender differ from the meaning of sex?

As we saw in Module 34, we humans share an irresistible urge to organize our worlds into simple categories. Among the ways we classify people—as tall or short, dull or smart, cheerful or churlish—one stands out. Immediately after your birth (or before), everyone wanted to know, “Boy or girl?” Your parents may have offered clues with pink or blue clothing. Their answer described your sex, your biological status, defined by your chromosomes and anatomy. For most people, those biological traits help define their assigned gender, their culture’s expectations about what it means to be a boy, girl, man, or woman.

sex

in psychology, the biologically influenced characteristics by which people define male and female.

gender

in psychology, the socially influenced characteristics by which people define boy, girl, man, and woman.

Simply said, your body defines your sex. Your mind defines your gender. But your mind’s understanding of gender arises from the interplay between your biology and your experiences (Eagly & Wood, 2013). Before we consider that interplay in more detail, let’s take a closer look at some ways that males and females are both similar and different.