Gender and sexual orientation are highly nuanced aspects of human development. Because human identity is influenced by an intricate mix of genetics, prenatal hormones, social environments, and cultural norms, it is a topic where psychological research is continually evolving. While science has not definitively proven the exact biological or environmental formulas that determine every facet of identity, psychologists approach this topic by examining how our biology interacts with our social world.
In everyday conversation, the terms "sex" and "gender" are often used interchangeably. However, in psychology and the social sciences, they have distinct meanings:
Every culture has Gender Roles—a set of expected behaviors, attitudes, and traits for males and females. But how do we learn them? Psychologists heavily rely on theories of learning (which we explore deeply in Topic 3.9) to explain this process.
According to Social Learning Theory, children acquire their gender identity by observing and imitating the behaviors of those around them. From a very young age, children watch parents, peers, and media figures to see what behaviors are considered "appropriate" for their gender. If a behavior is rewarded (e.g., a boy gets praised for being tough, or a girl is praised for being nurturing), that behavior is reinforced and becomes part of their gender expression. The process by which children acquire these traditional roles is known as Gender Typing.
Sexual orientation refers to an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attraction to others. Like gender, the development of sexual orientation is incredibly complex. Current psychological consensus suggests that sexual orientation is not a conscious choice, but rather the result of a complex interplay of genetic, hormonal, and environmental influences that begin shaping the brain even before birth.