Biological Influences on Women’s Behavior

Biological Influences on Women’s Behavior

The biological and social causes of sex differences are closely related to their effects (Lerner & Steinberg, 2004). Biological approaches to gender assume that biological factors including hormones and genes are the basis of male-female differences in behavior (Udry, 2000). According to the evolutionary theory for instance, the operative principles for the determination of social behavior are natural selection and the transmission of one’s genetic material. Consequently, biological characteristics influence the way women behave to some extent (Riger, 2000; Udry, 2000; Costa & Guthri, 2007). This paper offers a literature review on the biological influences on women’s behavior. A summary and an analysis of the general findings on the topic is also provided.

As expressed in Bloom, Owen & Covington (2004), most contemporary theories of gender development acknowledge the biological, social and psychological influences on behaviors. According to the evolutionary psychology theory for instance, some characteristics that facilitate adaptation to the environment were passed along the genes of succeeding generations through natural selection (Riger, 2000).

Biosocial theory on the other hand focuses on the importance of sex differences in evolved physical characteristics. The theory in this case asserts that nursing and bearing children give women less mobility and involvement in many forms of economic subsistence (Lerner & Steinberg 2004). Liening and Josephs (2010) concur with these theories by arguing that biological hormones play an important role in women’s social behavior. Some social behaviors including dominance for instance are deeply rooted in the biological factors.

Similarly, genes influence the presence and levels of testosterone and hormones, which in turn influence behavior (Udry, 2000). Other studies have found out that prenatal exposure to relatively high levels of androgens in girls is directly associated in childhood and adolescence with masculine interests and behavior even when such girls identified with and were raised as females (Bloom et al, 2004). Some authors have also shown a relationship between prenatal exposure to high levels of testosterone and women’s ‘differing’ behavior (Lerner & Laurence, 2004).

In his paper, ‘Biological Limits of Gender Construction’, Udry (2002) hypothesizes that the effect on women of their childhood gender socialization is constrained by the biological process that produces natural behavior predispositions. He further argues that the concept of women’s gendered behavior should be seen as the extent to which a woman’s behavior is more masculine or more feminine for the behaviors on which men and women differ.

While it is true that biological factors influence behavior in women, other researchers argue that biological characteristics alone cannot be used to influence behavior in women (Alters & Schiff, 2011).  Ideally, most variations in behavior depend on the combined influence of many environmental and genes influence (Costa & Guthri, 2007; Lerner, & Steinberg, 2004).  In this case, every behavior requires both biological (heredity) influence and the environment. According to Bloom, et al (2004), acknowledging gender requires understanding the difference between the concepts of gender and sex. Research further shows that environmental and social factors rather than biological determinants account for most behavioral influences on women (Liening & Josephs, 2010). Arguably, most of women’s behavior is attributed to the differences in gender roles, gender socialization, gender inequality and gender stratification.

In their research on women and sport, Costa and Guthrie (2007) argue that biological influences should be seen as part of the social dynamic of sport and exercise. They further suggest that biological factors are not absolute and static. They are instead dynamic processes that may interact with social psychological influences in various complex ways. They however agree that roles influence behavior through chemical signals of hormonal changes in interaction with personal gender identity and other stereotypical expectations (Costa & Guthrie, 2007). Riger (2000) further add that people’s behaviors are also assumed to be a reflection of their intrinsic characteristics.

Generally, although there are biological influences on women’s behavior, behaviors in women to some extent emanate from an individual’s perception of herself as a female from male. Right from childhood, biological characteristics alone do not influence behaviors in human beings (Costa, & Guthri, 2007). Rather, various social, biological and environmental forces mold an individual’s gender identity and behavior (Alters & Schiff, 2011). Further, although genetic and hormonal factors influence the sexual development of the embryonic brain, social factors take charge on gender identity after birth. Women in this case observe and learn their gender roles, behaviors and stereotypes from their environments. In most cultures for instance, most women grow up behaving differently from men as they observe others do the same.

Ideally, we should not look at biological factors as sole determinants of behavior or assume that biological factors necessarily override or underlie social and behavioral influences. This is in agreement with Riger (2000) who argues that a certain social environment could produce a certain psychological condition or pattern of behavior no matter the individual’s biological make up.

A person’s behavior as a particular woman or man may in this case depend partly on the hereditary makeup and the environment an individual grew up in. In the same way, one’s behavior as a man or woman may depend on the existing abilities, personal traits, stereotypes and attitudes. In this case, the biological evolution of females can influence the individual genes they were born with, which may then influence the current structure of their brain and their level of sex hormones, and eventually influence their behaviors. Biological influences on women’s behavior in this case run from their distant past of their species and their individual pasts to the present.

References

Alters, S. & Schiff, W. (2011). Essential Concepts for Healthy Living Update. UK: Jones &

Bartlett Learning

Bloom, B., Owen, B. & Covington, S. (2004). Women Offenders and the Gendered Effects of

Public Policy. Review of Policy Research, 21, 31-48.

Costa, M. & Guthri, R. (2007). Women and Sport: Interdisciplinary Perspectives. USA: Human

Kinetics.

Lerner, R. & Steinberg (2004). Handbook of Adolescent Psychology. USA: John Wiley & Sons.

Liening, S. & Josephs, R. (2010). It Is Not Just About Testosterone: Physiological Mediators and

Moderators of Testosterone’s Behavioral Effects. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 4(11), 982-994.

Riger, S. (2000). Transforming Psychology : Gender in Theory and Practice.USA: Oxford

University Press.

Udry, J. (2000). Biological Limits of Gender Construction. American Sociological Review, 65,

443-457.

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