Gender Bias

Question 1

Universality definition

Answer 1

This refers to the idea that psychological theories, concepts and research should be applicable to all people regardless of their gender, culture, or background.

Question 2

Gender bias

Answer 2

Gender bias undermines universality. It leans towards a personal view that doesn’t reflect reality. The research may not accurately represent the behaviour of men and women.

Question 3

Alpha bias

Answer 3

This exaggerates the difference between men and women, therefore theories that are alpha bias devalue one gender in comparison to the other.

Question 4

alpha bias example freud

Answer 4

• Freud: reflects time (19th century) where men were more powerful, educated etc. Freud viewed femininity as failed masculinity SO he exaggerated the difference between men and women.
• women have penis envy, they cannot undergo the Oedipus complex and therefore have a weak identification with mother, boys have fear. Women have an inferior morality due to her superego.

Question 5

Beta bias

Answer 5

Androcentrism can also result in people assuming that why is true for men is also true for women, thus mistaking minimises the differences between men and women.
Consequence – one gender is ignored – generally women.

Question 6

Beta bias example: fight or flight

Answer 6

• Biological research is usually conducted with male animals because in females variations in hormone level would make the research more difficult.
• It is assumed that the fight-or-flight response was universal until Psychologists have challenged this.

Taylor (2000) found that females produce a tend-and-befriend response at times of stress which is adaptive – ensures survival of their offspring and networking of females.

Therefore real gender difference was ignored = Beta Bias.

Question 7

Androcentrism

Answer 7

• psychology was always male dominated and most theories represent a male world view.
• This can produce alpha or beta bias.
• This also leads to female behaviour being misunderstood and even pathologised (taken as a sign of illness).

Question 8

AO3: feminist psychology

Answer 8

• One way of countering androcentrism is the feminist perspective as it argues that biological differences can account for differences between men and women. However, they believe that socially determined stereotypes are what make the greater difference. Research acknowledged that women may be less effective leaders than men naturally, but this knowledge should be used to create suitable training programmes to create a future with more female leaders and restore the balance.

Question 9

AO3 - bias in research methods (M to F)

Answer 9

Furthermore, a bias in research methods could lead to an enhancement in alpha and beta bias as a study was done that found that male experimenters are typically more pleasant and encouraging to female participants than they are to males, the results were that females performed better than males in the study, suggesting difference in methods can lead to gender bias.