Medical research has demonstrated that individuals with higher levels of testosterone are more assertive, dominant, and competitive. However, as the social psychologist Allan Mazur reported, testosterone levels rose in chess players before a match and then rose again in the match's winner, but fell in the loser. What does this suggest about the origin of gender?
A) Hormones play a much larger role in gender than is usually acknowledged.
B) Nature is the most important factor in determining gender.
C) Gender is completely social in origin, and bodies are simply arbitrary vessels for society to guide.
D) Gender is a product of economic interactions and the drive for scarce resources.
E) Gender comes from an interaction between nature and nurture.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The fact that testosterone levels can be affected by both innate biological factors (such as hormone levels) and environmental factors (such as competition) suggests that the origin of gender is a complex interplay between both nature and nurture, rather than a simple product of one or the other. It also suggests that gender roles may be more fluid and malleable than previously thought, as they can be influenced by a variety of factors.

Medical Research Has Demonstrated That Individuals with Higher Levels of Testosterone