Gender Identity Paper Psy 340 Essay Example

Gender Identity Gender is defined as being male or female as defined by roles, social status, and attitude. The perception of oneself and what characterizes gender identity. Included in gender identity is hormone and behavior interaction, along with the examination of psychological, biological, and environmental influences on sexual separation. Interaction between hormones and behavior has shown to be linked to higher aggression and hostility. The aggression found relates to sexual maturation and genetic characteristics. Androgens and testosterone are major influences of aggression. Hormones affect behavior and emotions. These aggressive effects can stem from contemporaneous organizational influences. Hormones are chemicals that combine and respond to cell receptors. The most vulnerable and major periods of hormonal distress happen in puberty and prenatal periods. When there is a prenatal hormonal abnormality it may result in indecisive sexual identity. Having such confusion can cause stress levels to be at an ultimate high, and leave one bewildered. Environmental roles influence gender identity by the fact of how one is raised. The roles played versus genetic issues cannot find a direct answer to the cause. According to Pinel (2009), The gonads do more than create sperm and egg cells. Gonads also produce and release steroid hormones. Ovaries and testes release the very same hormones. The main hormones are androgens (testosterone) and estrogens (estradiol). Men and women possess these same hormones at different levels and they perform completely different functions. The pituitary glad influences the release of hormones. Regulation of these are crucial for maintaining stable gender identification. Biology’s influence on gender identity focuses on the cerebral lateralization and hormonal function. In the womb, a fetus is determined biologically a male or female. However, gender identification is assumed by either masculine or feminine characteristics.