Over the last couple of months I have become obsessed with researching the construction and continuation of gender within our society. However, I have discovered another side to the argument. The side that analyses the biological approach and not the environmental factors. Now, I understand that this sounds like the obvious answer. As we all know that it is our biology that determines our sex, but what this type of theory is concerned with, are the factors that our biology instinct in us to determine how we respond to our gender construction.
The first example that first came to mind, was the maternal instinct. This quality is believed to be installed into women from birth. Some Mothers stress that they will lack this quality, when after reading articles from specialists upon this subject, they believe that most women will feel this instinct as soon as they reproduce. Some theorists have been interested in the reliability of a male’s paternal instinct. Apart from over active Mothers, many researchers have explained from their research that they have discovered that mens paternal instinct is as active as Mothers. Therefore, is it our society that has engraved the belief that Mother’s are more maternal than men?
New evidence from researchers in Australia have confirmed that boys and girls behave differently. Boys seem to have more behavioral problems than girls, and these differences are evident from early childhood. These differences may be due to the amount of hormones instigated in our bodies. Recently, scientists have been led to a belief concerning a ‘macho gene’. This gene has be found to make men behave more aggressively than women under stress. They later add that this one gene could explain why men have a fighters approach to certain situations, where women would be more likely to try and defuse the situation, a response they know as ‘tend and befriend’. Therefore, the observation that women are less aggressive, and more compassionate than men, may be due to their biology and not how they are socialised.
As I have mentioned previously, the socialisaton that happens in the home, could be due to the style in which your parents raised you. Maybe your parents had another influence upon you; your genes and behaviours. We learn a lot from our parents, but maybe we don’t have a choice with some qualities. An obvious example, is the blue eyes you inherited from you Father, however, what if you inherited your Dad’s sense of humor, or your Grandad’s eating habits. Now these qualities could be argued that they are reflected upon you due to the time spent in the company of your family, and not because of DNA, right?. Well, scientists have investigated and discovered that it is possible your personality may be a result of genetic inheritance, nature or DNA. These studies were based on the investigation of biological twins. (The study is listed in the links below).The study concluded that genetics do influence personality traits. Another study to use in this argument, took a look at a set of twins that were separated from birth and raised in different environmental areas and then they were studied upon reuniting in adulthood, and then similarities started to arise. For example, both were wearing rimmed glasses and mustaches. Which could be explained as the latest fashion trends. However, traits such as flushing the toilet before using it, reading magazines from back to front and their temperament, proven as more than a coincidence as these traits are very unique and seemingly could be explained by them both having similar DNA.
Caeare Lombroso is a sociologist that believes in the biological approach to explanations. Within his theory he states that crime is embedded into certain human beings by the make up of their brain. In my opinion Lombroso’s theory was created in a time of ignorance, as a section of his theory stated that all criminals appearances followed a specification, ie. facial hair. However, other scientists have added and adapted Lombroso’s theory and stressed the importance that DNA has in the creation of a criminal. For example, consider the case of Brian Dugan. A man who admitted to abducting, raping, and killing a 10 year old girl in 1983. His defense lawyers used brain scans and the testimony of prominent neuroscientists to argue that Dugan’s brain had been programmed to commit violent acts, that it was in his nature to kill and was unable to control these desires.
Elements of this side of the debate fill me with worry. Mainly because this approach believes to some extent you can not control your actions and responses. Almost insinuating that our gender is a construct that is definite and not questionable. I’m not sure how much confidence I have for this argument, however I do appreciate aspects and elements, most that are connected with the inheritance of qualities we derive from our parents. However, I am more partial to believe humans have the ability to interpret information in many ways, not just the one that we are constructed into to, due to our complex minds.
In my next blog post I will consider gender rebels; those that go against the gender construction within our society, and the success of this.
Useful Websites;
https://theconversation.com/nature-and-nurture-why-do-boys-and-girls-behave-differently-2920
http://twinsuk.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Cherkas.TwinResearch.pdf
Pippa Dean 
I think this is a really interesting post – the idea that men are naturally more agressive than women has really got me thinking. I think this was perhaps more evident in the days where women were fundimentally more repressed; they did not have the means of expressing any emotions punlically, so agression would not have been penalised. Now-a-days however, I think although you would catagorise men as the protective ones, women are becoming far more able to look after themselves.
For example, both of my parents are in the metropolitan police force, so I was brought up with two very able and independant guardians, which has certainly rubbed off on me in my genes!
Great post 🙂
Glad you liked it Jen!
Yeah I completely agree! My parents changed up the traditional roles when having me and my sister. My dad became the stay at home Dad and my Mum the soul breadwinner. I think with these altered roles from parents and others parents we can see a progression of changes happening within our society. Which is definitely a good thing!