Gender & Cultural Bias

Question 1

Define universality

Answer 1

Any underlying characteristic of human beings that is capable of being applied to all, regardless of differences; threatened by gender/cultural biases

Question 2

Define gender bias

Answer 2

Psychological research or theory may offer a view that does not justifiably represent the experience of men + women ( often women )

Question 3

Define beta bias

Answer 3

Théories which ignore or minimise differences between the sexes

Question 4

Give examples of beta bias

Answer 4

• Asch, Milgram, Zimbardo all only used male participants yet generalised findings to the whole population
• brain studies are usually carried out on males
• Sheridan + King only used female ppts, showed a difference to Milgrams at 100%

Question 5

Define alpha bias

Answer 5

Psychological theories which exaggerate the differences between men and women, suggesting they have real enduring differences

Question 6

Give examples of alpha bias

Answer 6

• Freud’s psychosexual stages (oedipus v electra complex), argued boys developed a stronger superego than girls = “morally inferior”
• ## Bowlbys research into the role of the mother and father

Question 7

Define androcentrism

Answer 7

Make-centered; when “normal” behaviour is judged according to male standards, means female behaviour is judged as abnormal or deficient in comparison

Question 8

Define cultural bias

Answer 8

Refers to the tendency to ignore cultural differences and interpret all phenomena through the lens of one’s own culture

Question 9

What are the implications of cultural bias?

Answer 9

When standard is judged according to one cultures standpoint, other cultures behaviour may be deemed as abnormal

Question 10

What is ethnocentrism?

Answer 10

The belief in the superiority of one’s own cultural group, in psychological research viewing behaviours which do not conform to the model as ‘deficient’

Question 11

Give an example of ethnocentrism in psychological research

Answer 11

Ainsworth’s strange situation - suggested idéal attachment was characterised by infants showing distress when left alone, framed German mothers as cold and rejecting rather than encouraging independence

Question 12

Define cultural relativism

Answer 12

The idea that norms and values, as well as ethics and moral standards, can only be understood within specific cultural contexts

Question 13

Define cultural relativism

Answer 13

The idea that norms and values, as well as ethics and moral standards, can only be understood within specific cultural contexts

Question 14

What is the difference between etic and emic approaches?

Answer 14

Outlined by *John Berry**
- etic = looks at behaviour from outside a given culture and attempts to describe universal behaviours
- emic = functions from within certain cultures and identifies behaviours specific to that culture