Work

Developmental and dynamic systems: insights for sex/gender research

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Recent work incorporating gender into sex differences research has complicated the interpretation of both physiological and behavioral differences between women and men, which are traditionally interpreted as driven by "biological" sex-related variables. Alternative conceptualizations have been proposed to capture the complex relationship between sex and gender, such as sex/gender entanglement. Blurring the boundaries between gender and sex, the organism and its environments, this perspective has created a need for theoretical and methodological approaches that can be used to investigate the emergence of structures and behaviors in complex systems. Here, we review the foundational concepts of developmental and dynamic systems theories, which can serve as frameworks within which to investigate the emergence of complex phenomena. We then provide examples of empirical research programs that demonstrate the benefit of these frameworks in the context of sex/gender research.

Source: Biology of Sex Differences

DOI: 10.1186/s13293-026-00920-x

Authors: Giordana Grossi, Annie Duchesne, Donna L. Maney

Institutions: SUNY New Paltz, University of Northern British Columbia, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Emory University

Language: English

Topic: Sex and Gender in Healthcare

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Gender equality

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,290