1/ Issues and Debates - issues: gender bias, cultural bias and ethical implications

Question 1

what are the three issues in the optic of issues and debates?

Answer 1

1. gender bias
2. cultural bias
3. ethical implications

Question 2

what is meant by an issue?

Answer 2

refers to a topic that creates a conflict and should not being ignored, issues tend to undermine the value of psychological theories and research.

Question 3

what are two types of bias in the issue of gender?

Answer 3

1. universality

2. gender bias (alpha and beta)

Question 4

what is meant by universality in gender bias?

Answer 4

many psychologists try to make universal theories - meaning it can ally to ALL but this creates a bias because then gender differences in behaviour tend to be either exaggerated or ignored.

Question 5

what is meant by alpha bias?

Answer 5

an exaggeration of the differences between men and women’s behaviour - can lead to one gender being devalued in comparison to the other.

Question 6

what is an example of alpha bias?

Answer 6

evolutionary approach - suggests why men tend to be dominant and why women have a more parental investment in they off spring.

Question 7

what is meant by beta bias?

Answer 7

involves the assumption that men and women are the same and ignores the differences meaning one gender gets misrepresented.

Question 8

what is one example of beta bias?

Answer 8

zimbardos and milligrams study all used men. 
most studies (in prisons) in aggression.

Question 9

what is usually a result in beta bias?

Answer 9

androcentrism - research centred or dominated by a male or males point of view.

Question 10

how could gender bias have damaging effect in women every day lives?

Answer 10

misleading assumptions about women e.g. Darwins theory about sexual selection may lead to employers to assume women are less competitive than men - women can be denied opportunities in the work place.

Question 11

what is a strength of discussing gender bias?

Answer 11

• help raises awareness about the issue

- led feminist psychologists to put forward a criteria to avoid gender bias.

Question 12

what is it important to remember when discussing gender bias?

Answer 12

gender bias can work against males too. e.g. women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression and given treatment whereas men have an expectation to just ‘pull themselves together.’

Question 13

what are four types of cultural bias?

Answer 13

1. universality
2. cultural bais
3. ethnocentrism
4. cultural relativism

Question 14

what is meant by universality in cultural bias?

Answer 14

we believe that some behaviours are the same for all cultures even though the majority of research has been dominated by white, middle class American males.

Question 15

what is meant by cultural bias?

Answer 15

making assumptions about the behaviour of people from one culture based on your own cultural norms and practises.

Question 16

what is meant by ethnocentrism?

Answer 16

making judgements based on ones own cultural perceptive and believing it is normal and often superior

Question 17

what is an example of ethnocentrism?

Answer 17

defining abnormality - devotion from social norms - hearing voices in your head.

Question 18

what is cultural relativism?

Answer 18

the idea that we have to understand the values and norms of culture before we can study and evaluate the behaviour from there.

Question 19

how can cultural bias have a negative effect on the attitudes of Americans towards a group of people?

Answer 19

-damages stereotypes e.g. US army had an IQ test before WW1 which was culturally bias towards dominant white people, showed African Americans were at the bottom of the scale.

Question 20

how can research into cultural have a positive impact?

Answer 20

greater recognition of cultural diversity e.g. the development of afrocentrism - theories that are based on people who have African roots, emphasises the uniqueness of their culture.

Question 21

what is meant by a ethical implication?

Answer 21

impact or consequence that psychological research could have on people.

Question 22

what is an example o research that had ethical implications?

Answer 22

milgrams obedience studies.

Question 23

what is an example of socially sensitive research?

Answer 23

cognitive neuroscience - reached frontal lobe activity was a marker for violent criminality and we should screen children brains.

Question 24

what are the four aspects of research process that could raise issues of social sensitivity?

Answer 24

1. research question e.g. are there racial differences in IQ
2. the methodology used e.g. confidentially
3. the institutional context - how is the research going to be used
4. interpretation of the findings - how might the findings be interpreted in every day life

Question 25

what are two ways researchers can deal with social sensitivity before research?

Answer 25

1. aware of possible ethical issues

2. undertaking a cost benefit analysis

Question 26

what are two ways researchers can deal with social sensitivity after research?

Answer 26

1. sensitively debriefing

2. taking care when publishing findings assuring confidentiality and anonymity

Question 27

what is a strength for ethical implications?

Answer 27

forced psychologists to be aware of the need to safeguard pps and individuals indirectly affected e.g. those with disabilities or those economically disadvantaged.

Question 28

what I a weakness of ethical implications?

Answer 28

we should conduct socially sensitive research because we are in desperate need to research into race and gender variables

Question 29

how is some socially sensitive research beneficial?

Answer 29

examining eye witness testimony - use of child witnesses are reliable when questioned in a timely and appropriate manner.