The Early Development of Gender Differences

Abstract

This article reviews findings from anthropology, psychology, and other disciplines about the role of biological factors in the development of sex differences in human behavior, including biological theories, the developmental course of sex differences, and the interaction of biological and cultural gendering processes at different ages. Current evidence suggests that major biological influences on individual differences in human gender, to the extent that they exist, operate primarily in early development, during and especially prior to puberty. Biological effects are likely to be mediated by relatively simple processes, like temperament, which are then elaborated through social interactions (as with mother and peers) into more complex gendered features of adult personality. Biological anthropologists and psychologists interested in gender should direct more attention to understanding how social processes influence the development and function of the reproductive endocrine system.

Childhood Disruptive Behaviour and School Performance across Comprehensive School: A Prospective Cohort Study

“…This difference may result from cultural expectations, i.e. depending on the cultural gender role norms, some behavioural tendencies may be viewed as more or less appropriate or desirable in girls and boys (see meta-analysis and review by (Else-Quest, Hyde, Goldsmith, & Hulle, 2006;McIntyre & Edwards, 2009). For example, higher motor activity and aggressive tendencies may be better condoned among boys whereas silent and persistent working may be more expected from girls.…”

Boys will be boys: sex differences in wild infant chimpanzee social interactions

“…Sex differences in the behaviour of human children are a hotly debated and often controversial topic (McIntyre & Edwards, 2009). In terms of sociability, evidence from a variety of studies suggests that girls outperform boys (higher rates of eye contact: Hall, 1985; social understanding: Hall, Carter, & Horgan, 2000; prosocial behaviour: Eisenberg, Fabes, & Spinrad, 2006).…”

Biological and social aspects of human sexual orientation: chemocommunicative hypothesis

“…Это касается таких призна-ков, как фиксация взгляда на определенных предметах, темперамент, предпочтение определенных игрушек и игр и т. д. [4,[16][17][18]. Их надо четко отличать от специфиче-ских форм полового поведения (ПП).…”