Question 1

When participants completed a survey about sexual behaviour under anonymous conditions and then under the belief that the researcher would be able to tell whether they were lying, what did researchers find?

Accepted Answer

When participants believed that lies could be detected, they were more likely to report honestly, which reduced the gender differences in reports of autonomous sexual behaviour.

Question 2

Which of the following is always true of someone who is a hermaphrodite?

Accepted Answer

Hermaphroditism refers to the presence of both male and female reproductive organs in an individual, which is what makes option B always true for someone who is a hermaphrodite.

Question 3

A study by Alexander and Fisher (2003) used the "bogus pipeline" methodology to help control for false accommodation of gender roles (i.e., self-reporting that falsely presents behaviours and/or attitudes as consistent with widespread gender norms). In this study, participants were led to believe that they were attached to a polygraph machine that could detect lies. What impact did this have on self-reported gender differences in sexual attitudes, autonomous sexual behaviours (e.g., masturbation, use of erotic materials), and numbers of sexual partners?

Accepted Answer

The "bogus pipeline" methodology, by making participants believe their lies could be detected, reduced the tendency to conform to expected gender norms in their responses, thus narrowing the gender gap in reported sexual attitudes and behaviors.

Question 4

A group of conditions in which the reproductive organs and/or genitals develop differently than expected is known as __________.

Accepted Answer

Disorders of sexual development (DSDs) refer to a group of conditions where the development of the reproductive organs and/or genitals does not follow the typical pattern of development for either male or female bodies.

Question 5

When might an individual identify as intersex?

Accepted Answer

Intersex individuals may identify as such due to having a disorder of sexual development, which can involve chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical differences from the typical male or female presentations.

Question 6

Liam was diagnosed with Klinefelter's syndrome. What chromosome combination does Liam most likely have?

Accepted Answer

Klinefelter's syndrome is characterized by the presence of an extra X chromosome in males, leading to the XXY karyotype.

Question 7

Which of the following is true of males with Klinefelter's syndrome?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is true of...

Question 8

Angela carries the sex chromosome pair XO. Which disorder of sexual development does Angela have?

Accepted Answer

Turner's syndrome is characterized by a female having only one X chromosome (45,XO) instead of the usual two sex chromosomes (46,XX or 46,XY).

Question 9

Terms such as hermaphrodite or pseudohermaphrodite were used to describe people who were either born with both male and female sex characteristics or developed them later. To avoid the pejorative and stigmatizing effects of these terms, individuals now often identify as __________.

Accepted Answer

The term "intersex" is now commonly used instead of "hermaphrodite" or "pseudohermaphrodite" to describe individuals born with physical sex characteristics that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies, avoiding the pejorative and stigmatizing effects of the older terms.

Question 10

Which chromosomal disorder is present in 1 in 500 to 1000 males of all ethnic backgrounds and is identified with an abnormal chromosomal complement, with the presence of one Y chromosome and two or more X chromosomes (typically XXY)?

Accepted Answer

Klinefelter's syndrome is characterized by the presence of one Y chromosome and two or more X chromosomes (typically XXY), affecting 1 in 500 to 1000 males across all ethnic backgrounds.

Question 11

Which syndrome is usually not diagnosed until puberty, when boys present with gynecomastia (breast development), small testes, shorter-than-average penises, low testosterone levels, tall stature, verbal cognition problems, and compromised fertility?

Accepted Answer

Klinefelter's syndrome is characterized by the presence of an extra X chromosome in males (47,XXY), leading to symptoms such as gynecomastia, small testes, low testosterone levels, tall stature, verbal cognition issues, and reduced fertility, which are often not apparent until puberty.

Question 12

Which syndrome affects approximately 1 in 2500 females and involves abnormalities of the X chromosome that result in a missing second X chromosome, a chromosomal "monosomy"?

Accepted Answer

Turner's syndrome is characterized by the presence of a single X chromosome (45,X karyotype) in females, leading to a missing or partially missing second X chromosome. This results in various physical and developmental features unique to the syndrome.

Question 13

Women with which syndrome tend to have a short stature, broad chest, widely spaced nipples, under-developed female physical characteristics (e.g., breasts), and problems with ovarian development and sex hormone levels, leading to infertility?

Accepted Answer

Turner's syndrome is characterized by a female having only one X chromosome or an abnormal second X chromosome, leading to short stature, broad chest, widely spaced nipples, under-developed female physical characteristics, and issues with ovarian development and sex hormone levels, often resulting in infertility.

Question 14

Ray identifies as intersex but does not have any chromosomal or hormonal irregularities. What may have caused Ray to identify as intersex?

Accepted Answer

Intersex is a term that can encompass a variety of conditions not strictly related to chromosomal or hormonal differences. Conditions like penile ablation (surgical removal or loss of the penis), cloacal exstrophy (a severe birth defect where much of the abdominal organs are exposed), and penile agenesis (the absence of the penis from birth) can lead an individual to identify as intersex due to the physical and anatomical differences these conditions present, even in the absence of chromosomal or hormonal irregularities.

Question 15

Hattie is more aggressive and less nurturing than her peers. Which hormonal variation does she likely have?

Accepted Answer

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a condition that results in the overproduction of androgens (male hormones), which can lead to more aggressive behavior and less nurturing tendencies, fitting the description of Hattie's behavior.

Question 16

Which autosomal recessive genetic disorder affects cortisol synthesis in the adrenal gland, usually causing the fetus to be exposed to elevated levels of androgens produced by their adrenal gland?

Accepted Answer

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is an autosomal recessive disorder that affects cortisol synthesis in the adrenal gland, leading to elevated levels of androgens.

Question 17

Hannah and Andrew, a genetic girl and boy, both have congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). When observing Hannah and Andrew play, what are you most likely to notice about each child as compared to their peers without CAH?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Hannah and Andrew, a genetic girl and...

Question 18

What of the following is true about females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH)?

Accepted Answer

Females with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) have been observed to show increased rates of same-sex and bisexual attractions. This is thought to be due to the exposure to higher levels of androgens before birth. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect as they either overstate the impact of CAH on sexual preference, inaccurately describe reproductive anatomy outcomes, or incorrectly assert that CAH has no effect on sexual preference.

Question 19

Paulina wants to become pregnant, so she has been prescribed the steroid dexamethasone, which prohibits the production of prenatal androgens. Which hormonal variation does she likely have?

Accepted Answer

Paulina likely has congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a condition characterized by an overproduction of androgens due to enzyme deficiencies in the adrenal glands. Dexamethasone is used to suppress this overproduction of androgens in CAH, aiming to reduce the effects of excess androgen exposure before birth.

Question 20

Katie has XY chromosomes, but she was raised as a female, appears female, and identifies as heterosexual. Which hormonal variation does she likely have?

Accepted Answer

Katie likely has Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS), a condition where a person is genetically male (XY chromosomes) but is resistant to male hormones (androgens). As a result, the person has the physical traits of a female but male (XY) chromosomes. Individuals with CAIS are raised as females and have a female gender identity.

Quiz 10: Gender