Gender bias

Question 1

Define alpha bias

Answer 1

Exaggerates or overestimates the difference between the sexes

• differences more likely to devalue women in relation to their male counterparts

Question 2

What is an example of alpha bias?

Answer 2

Sociobiological theory of relationship formation (Wilson 1975) explains human sexual attraction and behaviour through the principle of ‘survival efficiency’

Central premise of the theory is that sexual promiscuity for males in genetically determined, wheras for women, its going against their ‘nature’

Question 3

Define the beta bias

Answer 3

Ignores, minimises or underestimates differences between the sexes

An example would be fight or flight response

Question 4

Define Androcentrism

Answer 4

When ‘normal’ behaviour is judged according to a male standard