Gender Bias

Question 1

What is gender bias?

Answer 1

The differential treatment of representation of men and women based on stereotypes rather than real differences

Question 2

What is androcentrism?

Answer 2

Male-centred: when ‘normal’ behaviour is judged accordingly yo a male standard

Question 3

What is alpha bias?

Answer 3

A tendency to exaggerate differences between men and women= theories devalue one gender in comparison to the other

Question 4

What is beta bias?

Answer 4

A tendency to ignore or minimise differences between men and women

Question 5

What is universality?

Answer 5

Aim to develop theories that apply to al people, despite differences of experience and upbringing

Question 6

What are three pieces of research which display alpha bias?

Answer 6

1. Freud’s research on moral development
2. Bowlby’s mono tropic theory
3. Diagnosis of mental disorders

Question 7

What are three pieces of research which display beta bias?

Answer 7

1. Kohlberg’s Theory of moral development
2. the fight or flight response
3. Asch and Milgram’s research on social influence

Question 8

What is sociobiology?

Answer 8

Wilson (1975)
Survival efficiency- males are hardwired to be promiscuous to spread their genes, females who are promiscuous are going against their nature

Question 9

What are the 4 limitations of gender bias?

Answer 9

Biological vs social explanations- Gender differences are often represented as fixed and enduring when they are not. Maccoby and Jacklin (1974) found that several gender studies concluded that girls have a superior verbal ability whereas boys have a better spatial ability. It was suggested that these differences were hardwired into the brain before birth so seen as fact. However Joel et al. (2015) used brain scanning and found no such sex differences in the brain structure or processing. We should be wary of accepting findings as biological facts as when they might be better explained by social stereotypes.
Counter- this doesn’t mean psychologists should avoid studying possible gender differences in the brain. E.G Ingalhalikar et al. (2014) suggested the stereotype that females are better multi-takers may have some biological truth. Women’s brains may benefit from better connections between their right and left hemispheres than in a man’s.

Reverse alpha bais- One stratagu to counter gender bias is to develop theories which show a difference between men and women but that emphasises the value of women. E.G feminist research has shown that one are better at learning because they are more attentive, flexible and organised. Such research challenges the stereotypes that in any gender differences the male position must be better.

Social implications of gender bias- Gender-biased research creates misleading assumptions about female behaviour and validates discriminatory practises which may provide scientific ‘justification’ to deny women opportunities within the workplace or wider society. E.G pre-menstrual syndrome in females medicalises female emotions by explaining them in hormonal terms which can lower oppiyunities for females as they can be seen as too ‘emotional’. on the other hand emotions such as anger in males is seen as a rational response to external pressures.

Avoiding beta bias- It may be a disadvantage to minimise differences between men and women and fight for equal treatment as this may draw attention away from women’s special needs. E.G equal parenting eve ignores the biological demands of pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, and the special needs of women, therefore disadvantaging women.