Issues And Debates Flashcards
1
Q
Universality
A
Any underlying characteristic of human beings which is capable of being applied to all
2
Q
Examples of gender bias
A
- abnormal behaviour is often explained in terms of chemical processes eg. Periods etc
- depression in women era explained in terms of hormones rather than social life
- men and women respond to research differently and may be treated differently by researchers
- published results are often done with initials as men are sometimes published over women
3
Q
Alpha bias
A
When the differences between men and female are exaggerated to increase or decrease the value of women
4
Q
Beta bias
A
When differences between the men and women’s are ignored or minimised e.g. when female participants are said to apply to all male research
5
Q
Androcentrism (institutional sexism)
A
If our understanding of normal comes from men then female behaviour will be seen as abnormal
6
Q
Gynocentrism
A
A study conducted on female and generalised to males
7
Q
Gilligan and moral development
A
- suggested women make moral decisions differently
- arguably biased as m+f development is more similar than her work suggests
8
Q
Freud’s androcentrism
A
- a woman’s relationship with mother is weaker than a boys with father
- femininity is a result of failed masculinity
- vanity is a defence mechanism to make up for sexual inferiority to men
9
Q
Karen Horney
A
- stated it was wrong to think of females as envious of men’s attributes
- she stated men had ‘womb envy’ as they wanted the ability to have children
10
Q
Implications of gender bias
A
- gender biased research may create misleading assumptions about female behaviour, fail to challenge negative stereotypes and and validate discriminatory practices
- may provide justification to deny women opportunities in the workplace and society
11
Q
Institutional sexism
A
- lack of women at senior level means female concerns may not be reflected in research questions asked
- lab experiments have female participants and more researchers
- Nicholson (1995) creates inequitable relationship with male researcher
- Denmark (1988) psychology is sexist and c relates bias research
12
Q
Reflexivity
A
- modern researchers are beginning to recognise their own assumptions effect on their work
- they see bias as a critical aspect of the research process
- dam run and lambert (2008) reflected on own gender related experiences in research
- reflexivity is an important development and has led to a greater awareness of bias in research
13
Q
Essentialism
A
- many genders differences are based on the essentialist perspective that gender differences are fixed and enduring
- politically motivated facts that creare double standards
14
Q
Feminist psychology
A
Worrell stated to avoid gender bias:
- women should be studied in real life context
- should genuinely participate in research
- not objectified
- diversity between women should be examined just like between men and women
- higher external validity
- women want to be included in research not a subject of it
15
Q
Example of ethnocentric research
A
- Ainsworth based study’s on 100 middle classes American families
- suggested ideal attachment was secure
- Takashi (1990) showed in Japan most children are insecure resistant so not to her ideals
- smith and pond (1998) all research has taken place in western countries so cannot be applied universality
16
Q
Cultural relativism
A
- Berry (1969) suggests psychologists have been guilty of imposing western beliefs on other cultures and judging them by that
- I read they should use emic approaches meaning psychologist should find cultural differences and use them to better the research
17
Q
Intelligence testing
A
- Brislin (1976) found in western cultures most tests are done again the clock
- however some people in Uganda believe something done slower shoes greater intelligence
18
Q
Scientific racism
A
- Goddard (1917) Russians, Jews, Hungarians and Italians were feeble minded
- many still believe race affects IQ
19
Q
Culture bound disorders
A
- anorexia is seen as a western disorder due to the ideal body image standards
- girls who played within barnice had lower self esteem due to standards ser by her unrealistic beauty
20
Q
Individualism and collectivism
A
- Jahoda argues that biological evolutionary changes are so small since the Stone Age therefore most new behaviours must be a product of own culture
- traditionally psychologists have looked at collectivists and individualistic cultures however to Kano and Osaka found that 14/15 studies found no distinction between the 2 cultures
21
Q
Unfamiliarity with research tradition
A
- participants familiarity with aims and objectives is assumed however different cultures have different knowledge
- demand characteristics may be exaggerated affecting validity
22
Q
Operationalisation of variables
A
- in cross cultural research variables will be viewed differently by participants
- behaviour is seen differently in different cultures
23
Q
Research challenges implicit assumptions
A
- challenges western views
- creates greater sensitivity to cultures and prevents scientific racism
- therefore conclusions are likely to be more valid
24
Q
Determinism
A
- The view that an individual’s behaviour is shaped or controlled by internal or external forces meaning behaviour should be predictable
- linked to behavioural, psychodynamic and biological approaches
25
Q
Free will
A
- The notion that as humans we are free to choose our own thoughts and actions. These view humans as self determining - they have an active role in controlling their behaviour and are not acting in response to any external or internal pressures
- linked to humanistic approach
26
Q
Hard determinism
A
- free will is not possible as our behaviour is always caused by internal and external events beyond our control
- principles of science - to uncover laws that govern thoughts and actions
27
Q
Soft determinism
A
- suggests all human action has a cause
- people have conscious mental control over the way they behave
- while there may be determining forces that act upon us, we have freedom to make rational, conscious choices in everyday situation
28
Q
Biological determinism
A
- the belief that behaviour is caused by biological influences we cannot control
- e.g. sociobiological theory of relationships, neural explanations of crime behaviour, physiological responses to stress
