BB3 Sex Variations
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25 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Difference in sexual behavior between males and females | -# of partners -What is sought in a mate -Psychology components: jealousy |
| difference in sexual behavior within a given sex | Sexual orientation: homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual |
| Difference between "Gender" and "Sex" | Sex refers to XX and XY- what we're genetically born as Gender refers to with whom we identify and what we call ourselves. Uniquely human |
| Difference between "Gender Identity" and "Sexual Orientation" | Gender Identity: how we identify sexually and what we call ourselves Sexual Orientation: what other sex we are physically attracted too |
| What does it mean to say sexual orientation/gender identity is continuos rather than categorical | *Sexual orientation is more continuous for females and more categorical for males *More men likely to say "I'm straight", not somewhere on the continuum, women more likely to place themselves on a continuum. |
| Evidence that genetics has a role in sexual orientation? | *Homosexuality is strongly familial -Similarity in Identical twins>fraternal twins -Found for homosexual men and women *Genes don't account for everything, influence from environment as well *Epigenetic: experience adds chemical group to certain gene-->gene is inactivated-->parent passes inactivated gene-->heritable homosexuality without relying on the spread of a gene *Homosexual individuals still pass on their genes |
| Evidence that Hormones have role in sexual orientation | Adult hormone levels DO NOT differ |
| Evidence that Prenatal Hormones have roles in sexual orientation | *Might have an effect *Animal studies sort of suggest it- effects of castration on male rat pups or tesosterone on female rat pups *Slight and partial feminizations in gay men and masculinizations in lesbians begin before puberty -Bone Length |
| Evidence that Prenatal Stress has role in Sexual Orientation | *Stress increases Endorphins which antagonize effects of Testosterone on hypothalamus *Stress increases corticosterone which decreases Testosterone release *In animal models of maternal stress (confinement and alcohol exposure) -Maternal Confinement: as adults, male offspring more likely than offspring of non-stressed moms to lordorse in the presence of another male. Still engaged in typical male sexual behavior as well -Maternal Confinement and Alcohol: more lordosis and less male typical sexual behavior *In humans: 2 out of 3 studies moms of gay men reported more stress during pregnancy than moms of straight men |
| Differences in Brain Anatomy between Homosexual and Heterosexual indivuals | Hemisphere size Amygdala Anterior Commissure SCN 3rd Nucleus of the Anterior Hypothalamus |
| Differences in Brain Anatomy between Homo and Hetero: Hemisphere Size | *Right hemisphere larger than left in hetero men *Equal sizes in hetero women and homo men *Homo females are intermediate |
| Differences in Brain Anatomy between Homo and Hetero: Amygdala | *Left has more widespread connected than Right in hetero females and homo males *Right has more widespread connected than Left in hetero males and homo females *Homo females are intermediate |
| Differences in Brain Anatomy between Homo and Hetero: Anterior Commissure | Gay men=straight women>straight men |
| Differences in Brain Anatomy between Homo and Hetero: SCN | Gay men>straight men -Rats deprived of testosterone during critical period have abnormal SCN and vary male/female preference throughout the day |
| Differences in Brain Anatomy between Homo and Hetero: 3rd Nucleus of the Anterior Hypothalamus | *2x as large as in straight men as straight women *Same size in gay men and straight women *Neurons larger and more numerous in straight men |
| Differences in Brain Anatomy in regard to Transgender individuals | ****Difference based on Gender Identity *BNST (forebrain region) is larger in men than women *No difference between heterosexual and homosexual men *Small in male to female transsexuals (more similar to women) *Large in female to male transsexuals (more similar to men) =correlation is sexual identity no orientation |
| How do Hetero and Homo individuals differ in their response to Pheremones? | *Hetero women and Homo men respond to AND (found in male sweat)- activation in preoptic area and ventomedial hypothalamus *Hetero men respond to EST (found in female urine)- activation in paraventricular nucleus and dorsomedial nucleus of hypothalamus *Lesbians respond to EST somewhat similarly to Hetero males. Also processed AND with main olfactory system rather than anterior hypothalamus |
| What the relevance of the data such as differences in bone length between gay and straight individuals? | *Bone length in arms, hands, legs -Longer in men than women -Homo males shifted in female direction -Homo females shifted in male direction *This difference begins very early in development *Reflects differences in overall development between gay and straight individuals |
| What are some pseurdohermaphrodite or intersexes? | Intersex: individuals whose sexual development is intermediate or ambigious Turner's Syndrome Klinefelter's Syndrome Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome DHT Deficiency |
| Turner's Syndrome | *Female in gender, Heterosexual *Only 1 X= XO genotype *Lack ovarian hormones *Don't enter puberty *Infertile *98% spontaneously abort |
| Klinefelter's Syndrome | *Male in gender, Heterosexual *XXY genotype *Internal sex is ok *Small testes *Low testosterone, low sperm *Gynecomastia |
| Congenital Andrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) | *Female in gender, Mixed sexual orientation but leans towards Heterosexual *In XX (female) *Autosomal recessive *Too much testosterone during development *Ok if XY, but if XX: -Presence of DHT (made from testosterone) partially masculinizes the genitalia (and brain?) -Ambiguous external genitalia (internal organs less affected) -Usually diagnosed at birth -Sometimes surgical intervention when discovered at birth -Individual is treated with cortisol to reduce high concentrations of CRH and ACTH -Childhood Behavior: intermediate between boy and girl -Adult Behavior: compared to other women have fewer than average sexual encounters and fantasies, more physical aggression, less interest in infants, and more interested in male dominated occupations *Minority of people with this are intersex *other problems include delayed or precocious puberty |
| Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (Aka Testicular Feminization) | *Genetic male XY, Female gender identity, Heterosexual *Mutation of X chromosome in the region encoding the endrogen receptor- this unresponsive to testosterone or DHT *In the uterus testes are produced but undescended. This causes degeneration of Mullerian Ducts= no internal reproductive organs develop. Lack of DHT action feminized external genitalia *At Birth: -(if complete AIS): Baby appears to be female. Child raised as girl- female gender identity and heterosexual -(if incomplete AIS): Baby predominantly male and is raised as a boy *At puberty: -Breasts enlarge, hips broaden but no menstrual cycle since no ovaries. Little public hair--->physical exam--->find out about disorder. *Intervention can be taken now to remove internal testes and vaginal canal lengthened. |
| DHT Deficiency (Aka 5 alpha reductase deficiency) | *Gentic male XY, gender identity is girl but behavior is tomboyish *Fairly common in 1 isolated community in Dominican Republic *Genetic mutation causing a defect in the enzyme 5a reductase results in low levels of DHT but normal Testosterone *In utero: -Testes formed but not descended -Normal levels of Testosterone= development of Wolffian ducts and regression of Mullerian Ducts -No DHT= feminization of external genitalia *At birth: -Baby appears to be female and child is raised as a girl *At Puberty -Very high levels of testosterone act to partially masculinize the genitalia. Gender identity usually reassigned. |
| Current advise given to parents with a baby whose sex is intermediate? | *Be honest and do nothing without informed consent *Identify as male or female based on predominant external genitalia *Rear child as consistently as possible but be aware that the person will later be orientation towards males, females, both, or neither *Do not preform surgery until person is old enough to be involved in the decision |
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