More evidence about the nature of gender

[Az]

Seems scientists recently found that by removing a particular cluster of receptors in female mice's nose they were able to transform their behavior to that of males. When they removed a particular group of pheromone receptors the normally docile and passive female mice began to act like males. This included chasing males, mounting them, and attempting pelvic thrusts on them (video http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleId=3C0B046F-E7F2-99DF-3B17FF05E5F0159D ).

A question as to whether the circuitry for male and female gender behavior existed within a brain or if they were entirely wired for one or the other behavior has long been an issue. This seems to answer it. Brains (mice brains anyway) are wired for both sets of behavior. It is the particular triggers that the brain receives that sets off the behavior.

More info here http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=2D685119-E7F2-99DF-3224E6A0EA1EE9A4

[NMMNG]

1. Intriguing

Gender roles, behavior and identity have long been an interest of mine. Thanks for posting this!

[zanne]

2. I think that some of this research is used for political reasons.

Or should I say social or cultural reasons? In the 60's and 70's, the popular opinion was that men and women were pretty much alike, with social conditioning making all the difference. Now it seems to be playing out that men and women are simple MADE differently and that accounts for all the personality differences. Now, we're supposed to believe that society has nothing to do with it. I wonder what's next--Men dominate women because they're born that way? I just don't buy into alot of this stuff and I think it's alot more complicated than it's made out to be.

[Odin2005]

4. No it's just that our knowledge of how our brain works is a lot better now.

Back in the 60's and 70s most social scientists believed in the notion that human minds were blank slates. The notion of the blank slate is now defunct, which is a good thing because blank-slate-ism was behind a lot of crap notions on child-raising, namely with various disorders being seem as the result of bad parenting (with the mother usually blamed, rarely the father, hmmm...).

[zanne]

5. Why does it have to be one or the other?

We can't say that biology has nothing to do with gender roles, and we also can't say that society and nurturing (or lack of it) has nothing to do with gender roles.

[Az]

6. Because some parts of our brains do have impact on our thinking

It is both that effect things. But some aspects are neurological in nature and fixed while others are psychological and maluable. Human minds and even mousey minds are complex things. But there are aspects that we can measure and determine exactly what affects what. Remove this particular clump of pheromone receptors and your docile female mouse starts rutting around like a male.

[bananas]

3. "Brains are wired for both sets of behavior" - so any woman can be turned into a dominatrix?

And any guy can be turned into a bottom?