 The
nature-nurture debate is a debate about
the extent to which our behaviour is
governed by the forces of biology and
experiences/environment
 The
extreme nature view would suggest that
gender-related behaviour is entirely
controlled by hormonal and genetic factors gender differences result from innate
differences between female and male. This
view assumes that women are biologically
programmed to be nurturers and carers,
while men are biologically programmed to be
providers and protectors.
 Now
include a study from your notes or
textbook to support this
 This
view is deterministic, stating that our
gender development is mostly influenced by
our biology.
 This means it ignores important factors such
as our social development, which can be
seen in the changing roles men and women
have in society.
 The extreme nature side of the debate is
unable to fully explain our gender
development.
 The
nature position is supported by some
strong evidence from lots of studies. The
Batista boys show that even if brought up a
girl, if the biology is male this will be
stronger.
 The Batista boys were born with female
genitals but at puberty hormonal changes
caused their gentials to change and they
became boys and went on to live happily as
men.
 This shows that our biology has the greatest
influence on our gender development.
 The
extreme nurture view would suggest
that gender related behaviour is entirely
determined by social and cultural factors –
our experiences and the environment in
which we live. Gender differences result
from the different experiences that females
and males have as they develop (learning
from family, peers, society)
 Find
an example study to include here, think
social learning theory
 Social
learning theory shows how with a
mixture of our environment and our
mediating cognitive factors we have some
choice in our gender development.
 For example we can choose who our role
models are and if we wish to model our own
behaviour on them
 This means it recognises the role the
individual plays in their own gender
development.
 The
nurture debate is also reductionist as it
ignores the role our biology takes in our
gender development.
 For example attempts to bring Brian/Brenda
up as a girl failed as his biology was stronger
than the social environment that he was
brought up in.
 The nurture debate is too narrow a view to
explain all our gender development.