Gender Bias

Question 1

What does universality refer to in psychology?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Why is universality often not achieved?

Answer 2

Universality is supposed to be objective; however, it usually isn’t due to historical and social context which influences psychologists’ beliefs and values.

Question 3

What is bias in the context of psychological research?

Answer 3

Bias is leaning towards a personal view that doesn’t reflect reality, leading to research and theory that may not accurately represent the experiences and behaviors of men and women.

Question 4

How does gender bias affect universality?

Answer 4

Gender bias undermines universality as one gender is often ignored more than another due to historical and social context.

Question 5

What is an example of gender bias in attachment theories?

Answer 5

Attachment theories often discuss mother and baby attachments but rarely talk about father caregiving roles.

Question 6

What does alpha bias mean?

Answer 6

Alpha bias refers to theories that assume there are real and enduring differences between men and women, often exaggerating these differences.

Question 7

What does beta bias mean?

Answer 7

Beta bias refers to theories that ignore or minimize gender differences by assuming all people are the same.

Question 8

What is the goal of psychological theories regarding gender?

Answer 8

The goal is to create theories that can be applied to all people, regardless of gender.

Question 9

What is the impact of alpha bias on gender perception?

Answer 9

Alpha bias exaggerates the difference between men and women, leading to theories that devalue one gender in comparison to the other.

Question 10

What do Freud’s theories reflect?

Answer 10

Freud’s theories reflect the culture of the 19th century, where men were more powerful, educated, and viewed as superior.

Question 11

How did Freud view femininity?

Answer 11

Freud viewed femininity as failed masculinity, exaggerating the differences between men and women.

Question 12

What evidence did Freud provide regarding women?

Answer 12

Freud claimed women experience penis envy, cannot undergo the Oedipus complex, and have a weak identification with their mother.

Question 13

What is Beta Bias?

Answer 13

Beta Bias occurs when the differences between men and women are minimized, often leading to one gender being ignored, typically women.

Question 14

What is an example of Beta Bias in research?

Answer 14

Research on the fight-or-flight stress response often uses male animals, assuming the response is universal.

Question 15

What did Taylor find regarding stress responses in females?

Answer 15

Taylor found that females produce a tend-and-befriend response during stress, which is adaptive for survival and networking.

Question 16

What is Androcentrism?

Answer 16

Androcentrism refers to the male dominance in psychology, leading to theories that represent a male worldview.

Question 17

What are the consequences of Androcentrism?

Answer 17

Androcentrism can produce alpha or beta bias and may lead to misunderstanding or pathologizing female behavior.

Question 18

What is beta bias in the context of gender differences?

Answer 18

Beta bias is the minimization of gender differences, suggesting that eradicating gender differences is a solution to gender bias.

Question 19

What does the solution to gender bias involve?

Answer 19

The solution involves recognizing gender differences without asserting the superiority of one gender over the other.

Question 20

Who produced a theory on moral development?

Answer 20

Kohlberg produced a theory on moral development, suggesting that moral decisions are based on an ethic of justice.

Question 21

What was a key flaw in Kohlberg’s research?

Answer 21

Kohlberg’s research was flawed because he only tested men, leading to beta bias by minimizing gender performance differences.

Question 22

What did Kohlberg find when he later tested women?

Answer 22

He found that women were less morally developed than men, which exemplifies alpha bias.

Question 23

What is alpha bias?

Answer 23

Alpha bias occurs when differences between genders are exaggerated, making one gender appear superior to the other.

Question 24

What orientations did Gilligan identify in moral reasoning?

Answer 24

Gilligan identified that women favored a care orientation while men favored a justice orientation.

Question 25

What does Gilligan’s findings suggest about gender differences?

Answer 25

Gilligan’s findings suggest that there are differences in moral reasoning between genders, but no bias exists.

Question 26

What is the primary perspective of feminist psychology?

Answer 26

The only way to counter androcentrism is to take a feminist perspective.

Question 27

What does feminist psychology argue about difference psychology?

Answer 27

It arises from biological explanations of behaviour, but these are socially determined stereotypes that create greater differences.

Question 28

What do feminists believe is necessary for social change?

Answer 28

A revision of our facts.

Question 29

What is the aim of feminist psychologists?

Answer 29

To address the imbalances in theory and research in psychology.

Question 30

What do feminists acknowledge about women as leaders?

Answer 30

Women may be less effective leaders than men, but this knowledge should be used to develop suitable training programmes.

Question 31

What is the goal of developing training programmes for women leaders?

Answer 31

To create a future with more women as leaders and restore balance through greater support.

Question 32

What is beta bias in attachment studies?

Answer 32

Beta bias in attachment studies refers to the lack of research on father-baby attachment, focusing primarily on mother-baby interactions.

Example: Schaffer and Emerson explored mother-baby attachment, noting separation anxiety as an indicator of strong attachment.

Question 33

How does the ‘role of the father’ subsection address gender bias?

Answer 33

The ‘role of the father’ subsection conducts research on father-baby attachment, providing a solution to reduce gender bias in attachment studies.

Question 34

What study did Lofts and Palmer conduct regarding social influence?

Answer 34

Lofts and Palmer’s study used only male participants but generalized the behavior to both genders, demonstrating beta bias by ignoring potential gender differences.

Question 35

What is Kohlberg’s theory on moral development?

Answer 35

Kohlberg’s theory suggests that moral decisions are based on an ethic of justice, initially tested only on men, leading to beta bias.

Example: When tested on women later, Kohlberg found they were less morally developed than men.

Question 36

What is alpha bias in Kohlberg’s findings?

Answer 36

Alpha bias occurs in Kohlberg’s findings as he exaggerated the differences between men and women, suggesting men were superior.

Question 37

What did Gilligan find regarding moral orientations?

Answer 37

Gilligan found that women favored a care orientation while men favored a justice orientation, indicating a difference without bias.

Question 38

What is the common issue in biological research on the fight-or-flight response?

Answer 38

Biological research on the fight-or-flight response often uses male animals, leading to beta bias by not considering gender differences in stress responses.

Question 39

What did Taylor find regarding female stress responses?

Answer 39

Taylor found that females exhibit a tend-and-befriend response during stress, which is adaptive for ensuring the survival of offspring and female networking.

Example: This finding helps address the initial gender differences overlooked in biological research.