Final answer:
Gender refers to the societal and cultural roles, behaviors, and traits assigned to biological sex. It is a socially constructed concept that differs from the biological term denoting physical sex differences. Gender roles and identities are shaped by societal norms, cultural practices, and individual experiences.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term being described in the question is gender. It refers to the psychological and sociocultural meanings that are added to biological maleness or femaleness. Gender encompasses behaviors, personal traits, and the social positions that society attributes to being associated with one's biological sex, which is a biological term that denotes the presence of physical or physiological differences between males and females.
In other words, gender and sexuality are socially constructed. This means that the definitions and roles associated with being male or female are not innate or simply biological, but are formed through societal norms, cultural practices, and language. These norms and behaviors shape how people perceive and experience their identities and others around them.
Anthropological studies include looking into how people with ambiguous biological sex (intersex individuals), or those who wish to transition between gender identities, fit into broader societal concepts of masculinity and femininity. Some societies recognize multiple gender systems beyond the binary of male and female, allowing for more diversity and the inclusion of variant gender categories. The study of gender and sexuality involves examining how these concepts are embedded in institutions and performed by people daily.