Gender Bias Flashcards
What is a gender bias?
when men or women are treated or represented differently in psychological research.
Psychology = historically male-dominated field
many psychological theories assume and represent a male point-of-view(androcentrism)
two types of gender bias: alpha and beta bias.
Define androcentrism:
- ## Male-centred
- Behaviour is judge according to male standard
What can occur by androcentrism?
-Female behaviour is judged to be abnormal by comparison
alpha bias
theory/study assumes that there is a real difference between males and females
Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis, viewed femininity as a form of
failed masculinity.
Consequently, Freud’s theory exaggerated the differences between males and females, which is an example of an alpha bias.
beta bias
when a theory or study minimises the real differences between males and females.
example, biological psychologists have typically used only male animals to examine the fight or flight response.
This beta-biased approach = female behaviour went largely unexamined until recently.
biases obscure the central aim of psychology which
is to generate theories that have universality and apply to
all people.
evaluation points for gender bias
-ve gender bias often go unchallenged
-ve sexism in research
+ve adopting feminist approach helps reduce gender bias in psychological theories and research
-ve gender bias often go unchallenged.
P- gender bias often goes unchallenged
E- Darwin’s theory suggests women are naturally more selective than men in choosing mates, only recently has been ? new scientific evidence.
R- DNA analysis has shown women are equally as competitive
traditional view= overly simplistic and not fully representative of human mating strategies.
C-new DNA evidence suggests a more dynamic and competitive role for women, shows the importance of continually challenging gender research
Y-outdated, biased views skews understanding of gender roles. Challenging = reduce gender bias, meaning more accurate depiction of women’s behaviours. ensures scientific research reflects the complexity of human behaviours rather than reinforcing stereotypes.
-ve sexism in research
P: Women are underrepresented in academic departments, especially in science disciplines, impacting gender bias in research.
E: This underrepresentation indicates a gender imbalance that can affect the educational and professional environment, potentially influencing the outcomes and fairness of academic research.
R: Murphy et al’s research (2014) shows men are more likely to be lecturers, even though there are more women in psychology.
C: This has faced criticism because it suggests systemic gender bias in academic hiring and promotion practices.
Y: The criticism is problematic because it highlights barriers for women to advance to higher academic positions, leading to inequality and hindering the diversity and richness of academic discourse.
+ve adopting feminist approach helps reduce gender bias in psychological theories and research
P-Adopting a feminist approach can help reduce gender bias in psychological theories and research.
E-A feminist approach aims to correct imbalances in psychological theories by acknowledging and accounting for biological differences between genders.
R- Eagly’s 1978 research on female leadership (found females were less effective leaders than men) aimed to inform training programs, not perpetuate stereotypes.
C- Some psychologists dispute Eagly’s findings, suggesting biased methodologies inflate perceived gender differences.
Y- This is important because it could reduce the
validity of gender theories and research, resulting in an
alpha bias. Could result in a beta bias, which promotes equal treatment but draws attention away from important differences between males and females.
