1 - Gender Bias

Question 1

Define universality?

Answer 1

Idea that a conclusion about human behaviour is applicable to everyone everywhere

Question 2

What can universality cause?

Answer 2

Bias (gender + cultural)

Question 3

Define bias?

Answer 3

Prejudice for/against something

Question 4

Define gender bias?

Answer 4

Drawing psychological conclusions that don’t validly represent all genders

Question 5

Which gender is historically misrepresented/underrepresented in psychology? Why?

Answer 5

Women

- Psychology has been dominated by men (male researchers who use male ppts)

Question 6

Define androcentrism?

Answer 6

‘Normal’ behaviour judged according to a male standard

MALE-CENTRED

Question 7

Define estrocentrism?

Answer 7

‘Normal’ behaviour judged according to a female standard

FEMALE-CENTRED

Question 8

Which is more common: androcentrism or estrocentrism?

Answer 8

Androcentrism

Question 9

Give an example of androcentrism

Answer 9

Milgram’s obedience research

• Used 40 male ppts
• Findings generalised to whole population, so whole population judged according to a ‘male standard’

Question 10

Give an example of estrocentrism

Answer 10

In some feminist psychology men may be underrepresented

Question 11

What did Mustin + Marecek say?

Answer 11

There are 2 types of gender bias: alpha bias + beta bias

Question 12

Define alpha bias?

Answer 12

Psychological theories that exaggerate the differences between genders (males + females)

• Differences often presented as fixed
• Differences often devalue women

Question 13

Give 2 examples of alpha bias

Answer 13

Sociobiological theory of relationship formation

• Males allowed to be promiscuous (pass on many genes)
• Females not allowed to be promiscuous (only nurture few offspring)
• Relationship behavioural differences exaggerated + any promiscuous women devalued as ‘going against their nature’

Bowlby’s primary attachment figure

• Men cannot be primary attachment figure
• Women are supposed to be primary attachment figure
• Parenting behavioural differences exaggerated + any working women who don’t fit the ‘stay at home’ stereotype are devalued

Question 14

Define beta bias?

Answer 14

Psychological theories that ignore/minimise the differences between genders (males + females)

• Linked to androcentrism (men often used in research + we assume there are no gender differences so conclusions apply to females too)

Question 15

Give 2 examples of beta bias

Answer 15

Fight of flight response

• Research used male animals but conclusions applied universally
• Recent research (Taylor et al-2000) suggests women respond to danger differently: ‘tend + befriend’

Schizophrenia diagnosis in DSM

• DSM lists same symptoms for males + females
• Females have better social skills + coping strategies, so symptoms are more mild + they are consequently often misdiagnosed

Question 16

What does ‘tend and befriend’ mean as an alternative to the fight or flight response?

Answer 16

(Used by women)
Tend - to offspring
Befriend - other females to form a defence network against danger

Question 17

What are the 4 evaluation points for gender bias?

Answer 17

POS - Feminist psychology has emerged
NEG - Negative implications
NEG - Outdated concept
NEG - Can cause publication bias

Question 18

Explain a positive evaluation point for gender bias

Answer 18

Feminist psychology has emerged

• Recognising gender bias has promoted more feminist psych
• This feminist psych implements better techniques to study females
• E.g. Worrell’s criteria to avoid gender bias (women should participate in the research process + should be studied more in real life settings because male-dominated labs can be intimidating)
• Has led to better understanding of both genders, minimising future bias

Question 19

Explain 3 negative evaluation points for gender bias

Answer 19

Negative implications

• Research with gender bias has had negative implications, particularly for women
• E.g. reinforces stereotypes- suggests all women should stay at home
• E.g. limits opportunities - in the workplace seen as irrational + abnormal
• Gender bias has affected many women in day to day living

Outdated concept

• Gender bias is focused on bias between men + women
• Nowadays, are additional gender groups not considered (e.g. non-binary)
• Even traditional gender roles have changed in some cultures, so all men + women are not the same
• Gender bias no longer exists in the same way, needs to be reevaluated

Can cause publication bias

• Publication bias can occur when leading journalists (often men) don’t want to publish about gender bias (men seen as having devalued women)
• E.g. many top journals avoid informing readers about gender bias because it may upset their male audience
• Gender bias is then allowed to continue, as people don’t know about it