In practice, the extreme positions of gender development being guided solely either by heredity or environment is not accepted today. The question is more appropriately how much each contributes to gender development.

In this comprehensive Signature Assignment, you will discuss nature and nurture factors and theories of gender development supported by scholarly research. You will explain the theories you choose and include strengths and weaknesses of each theory.

Instructions

For your Signature Assignment, you will demonstrate mastery of gender development theories (psychosocial, cognitive, and bio-physiological) by comparing them from a nature vs. nurture perspective. Students will consider aspects of this Nature vs. Nurture debate in research, making sure to include the following in your final paper:

• Introduction to gender development concepts 
• Select one theory from the Psychosocial Theory category: Freud’s Psychosexual Stages
• Select one theory from the Cognitive Theory category: Behaviorist Theory
• Select one theory from the Bio-physiological Theory category: Behavioral Genetic Theory

Consider the following:

• Are any biological/genetic influences similarly affecting all three of your chosen theories?
• Are there any environmental influences that similarly affect all three of the theories you selected?  
• Do all three theories have a common strength in explaining gender development? 
• Do all three theories have a common weakness in explaining gender development? 

Length: This assignment must be 8-10 pages, excluding the title and reference page.

References: Include a minimum of 5 scholarly resources published in the last five years and any seminal (older) work if needed. You may include any resource or repurpose work you have completed earlier in this course. In addition, you may include scholarly websites or other scholarly resources in addition to your five current scholarly sources.

 Resources

• The Nature–Nurture Debates: 25 Years of Challenges in Understanding the Psychology of GenderEagly, A. H., & Wood, W. (2013). The nature–nurture debates: 25 years of challenges in understanding the psychology of gender. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 8(3), 340-357.
• Middle ChildhoodPortland State University. (n.d.). Middle childhood. Human Development. Pressbooks Publishers. Portland, OR.
• Gender through a developmental psychology lensWashington State University. Gender through a developmental psychology lens. The Psychology of Gender (3rd Ed.). Pressbooks Publishers. Pullman, WA.
• Neurobiology of gender identity and sexual orientationRoselli, C. E. (2018). Neurobiology of gender identity and sexual orientation. Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 30(7), e12562.