gender bias Flashcards
what is universality
only underlying characteristics of human beings that are capable of being applied to all despite differences of experience and upbringing
what threatens the universality of findings in psychology
- gender bias
- culture bias
why is bias inevitable in psychology
psychologists possess beliefs that have been influenced by the social and historical context within which they live
therefore bias is an inevitable aspect of the research
what are the two types of bias
- gender bias
- culture bias
what is gender bias
what are the three types of gender bias is:
- alpha bias
- beta bias
- androcentrism
what is alpha bias
when psychological research exaggerates/overestimates differences between sexes
differences are typically presented as real and enduring, fixed and inevitable
what is the issue with alpha bias
although the differences may occasionally heighten the value of women - more likely to devalue females in relation to their male counterparts
e.g.
sociobiological theory of relationship formation which explains human sexual attraction and behaviour through the principle of”survival efficiency”
what is the sociobiological theory
itis within the male interest to try to impregnate as many women as possible to increase the chances of his genes being passed on to the next generation
females best chance of preserving her genes is to ensure the healthy survival of the relatively few offspring she is able to produce in her lifetime
essentially sexual promiscuity in females are regarded as going against their”nature” while in males it is genetically predetermined- an exaggeration of the difference between the sexes (alpha-bias)
what is beta bias
this minimises or underestimates differences between men and women
this often occurs when female participants are not included as part of the research process and then it is assumed that research findings apply equally to both sexes
what is an example of beta bias
- Kohlberg theory of moral development
- fight of flight responses
early research into fight or flight was based exclusively on male animals (female hormones fluctuate) and was assumed to be a universal response to a threatening situation
Shely Taylor et al (2000) suggested that female biology has evolved to inhibit the fight or flight responses shifting attention towards caring for offspring (tending) and forming defensive networks with other mothers (befriending)
what is androcentrism
it is the consequence for beta bias
if our understanding of what counts as normal behaviour is being drawn from research that involves all male sample then any behaviour that deviates form this standard is likely be judged as “abnormal”, “inferior” by comparison
what is an example of androcentrism
pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) on the grounds that it stereotypes and trivalises female experiences
critics claim that PSM is a social construction which medicalises female emotions, especially anger, by explaining these in hormonal terms
male anger,on the other hand, is seen as a rational response to external pressure
