I&D : Gender Bias Flashcards
What is Universality/ Gender Bias/ Bias?
Universality - Any underlying characteristics that is capable of being applied to all, despite differences in gender & culture. Bias threatens the universality of findings.
Gender Bias - When one gender is treated less favourably than the other (known as sexism).
Bias - tendency to treat one individual or group in a different way to others.
Alpha bias & Beta bias
A - exaggerates gender differences between men & women. May heighten value of women but are more likely to devalue them.
B - minimises gender differences and assumes everyone is the same. Often occurs when findings from men are applied to women.
Example of Alpha Bias
Alpha Bias Favouring women –> Chodorow said daughters & mothers are more connected than sons & mothers cause of biological similarities –> so women develop better bonds & empathy for others.
Alpha Bias Favouring men –> Freud claimed children in phallic stage, desire opposite-sex parent –> this is resolved by identification with the same sex parent BUT a girl’s identification is weaker, creating a weaker Superego & a weaker moral development.
Example of Beta Bias
Fight or Flight - research was based on male animals, but it was assumed to be a universal response to threat.
Androcentrism
It is a consequence of beta bias.
When ‘normal’ behaviour is judged according to male standards so female behaviour is seen as ‘abnormal’.
E.g. Feminists object to the category of PMS since it medicalises female emotions by explaining these in hormonal terms BUT male anger is often seen as a rational response to external pressures.
Avoiding Gender Bias
1) Women should be studied in real life context.
2) They should genuinely participate in research.
3) Shouldn’t be objects of study.
4) Take a feminist approach - accepts that there are biological differences between males and females.
Limitation - Fixed & Enduring
1) Gender differences are given as fixed and enduring:
–> Research concluded girls have better verbal ability & boys better spatial ability due to hardwired biological brain differences
–> However brain scanning showed no such gender differences
–> Suggests we should be wary of accepting research as biological facts when it might be explained better as stereotypes.
Limitation - Sexism
2) Promotes sexism in research process:
–> Women are underrepresented in uni departments so research is likely to be conducted by males which may disadvantage women.
–> E.g. a male researcher may have certain expectations from female pps.
–> So institutional structures & methods of psychology may produce gender-biased findings.
Institutional Sexism - men predominate at senior research level. So research follows male concern.
Limitation - Challenging Bias
3) Research challenging bias may not be published:
–> 1000 articles related to gender bias was analysed - such research is funded less often & is published by less prestigious journals.
–> This held true when compared to ethnic bias.
–> Suggests gender bias in psychological research may not be taken as seriously as other forms of bias.
Extra Evaluation
Gender-Biased research creates misleading assumptions about female behaviour, fails to challenge negative stereotypes and validates discriminatory practices.
