Gender Bias Flashcards
What do psychologists try and seek and why is it not always possible?
Universality however bias may be inevitable as psychologists are products of their time and place
What is alpha bias?
Research that focuses on differences between men and women, therefore exaggerates differences.
One example of alpha bias
Freud- less anxiety in females than males etc..
What is beta bias?
Research that focuses on similarities between men and women therefore minimising differences between men and women.
One example of beta bias
Fight and flight, based on male animals assumed to be universal. Tend and befriend more common in females. (Taylor et al)
What is andocentrism?
Alpha and beta bias are consequences of andocentrism.
Where normal behaviour is judged according to a male standard. Female behaviour often judged to be abnormal or deficient by comparison.
Biological vs social limitation (AO3)
Maccoby and jackin: presented findings of several gender studies. Concluded girls have superior verbal ability and boys had better spatial awareness. Suggested differences are hardwired into brains.
Joey et al: brain scan and found no such differences. So be wary of accepting findings as biological fact.
Counterpoint of biological vs social research (AO3)
Does not mean psychologists should avoid studying gender differences in the brain.
Ingalhalikar: suggested women better at multitasking, some biological fact to it (women have better connections between left and right hemispheres)
Be wary of accepting exaggerations
Sexism in research (AO3)
Women remain unrepresented in university departments particularly science. Psychology department usually mainly female but lecturers more likely to be male. Male researchers more likely, expectations of women mean female PPS underperform?
