Which of the following is a biological explanation for gender differen

Which of the following is a biological explanation for gender differences in health status?

a. Influence of hormones
b. Different treatment by parents
c. Random differences in genetic inheritance
d. Social expectations of appropriate gender behavior

ESSAYBID ANSWER

ANS: A
Random differences are random and do not have a systematic effect. Although parents do indeed treat male and female babies differently, that is an environmental effect, not a biological one. Similarly, social expectations are a sociological explanation, not a biological one. Several biological factors influence sex differences in mortality and morbidity rates, including genetics, effects of sex hormones, and physiological differences. Biological advantages for females may also exist later in life because estrogen protects against heart disease. Some evidence supports the hypothesis that men’s higher testosterone levels contribute to men’s lower high-density lipoprotein levels.