gender bias

Question 1

universality vs bias

Answer 1

universality = conclusions drawn can be applied to everyone, irrespective of culture/time

bias = leaning towards subjective view, not reflecting objective reality

Question 2

gender; alpha vs beta bias

Answer 2

alpha = exaggeration of differences, present as fixed/inevitable, OFTEN LEADS TO DEVALUATION OF ONE GENDER IN RELATION TO ANOTHER

beta = underestimation of differences, findings assumed to apply equally, regardless of whether both genders were pps, OFTEN LEADS TO MISINTERPRETATION OF BEHAVIOUR

Question 3

example of alpha bias

Answer 3

Frued argued that during Phallic stage and Oedipus/Electra Complex, when child eventually identifies with same-sex parent
- girls connection = weaker = Superego is also weaker
- means girls = morally inferior to boys

Question 4

example of beta bias

Answer 4

Fight or Flight Response used mainly male animals due to female behaviour being regularly affected by hormonal changes
= ignores potential differences
= could mean males/females respond completely differently in stressful situation without our knowledge

Question 5

what is gender bias a consequence of and what is it

Answer 5

Androcentrism = ‘male-centred’, ‘normal’ behaviour judged according to male standard
= female behaviour often judged to be ‘abnormal’ in comparison

Question 6

eval of gender bias; limitation

Answer 6

Inaccurate; presents gender differences are fixed and inevitable, when they are not

maccoby and jacklin presented findings of several gender studies which concluded girls have superior verbal ability whereas boys have superior spatial ability = argued to be ‘hardwired’

brain scanning = found no sex differences in brain structure/processing

= means we should be wary of accepting research findings as biological facts, when may be better explained as social stereotypes

Question 7

eval of gender bias; further limitation

Answer 7

promotes sexism in research process
women underrepresented in uni departments, particularly science

= research more likely to be conducted by men, may disadvantage women

= institutional structures and methods of psych may produce gender-biased findings

Question 8

eval of gender bias; strength

Answer 8

Reflexivity and acknowledgment of biases

many modern researchers recognising effect of own values/assumptions on nature of work (reflexivity)

embrace as crucial aspect of research process = acknowledging fact that complete objectivity not possible

= suggests gender bias may add extra dimension to research, if psychologists are up front about it in their work