issues and debates

Question 1

What is gender bias?

Answer 1

Psychological research or theory that offers a view that does not justifiably represent the experience and behavior of men or woman (usually women) eg the representation of one gender only

Question 2

What is universality?

Answer 2

An underlying characteristic of human beings that is capable of being applied to all, despite differences of experience and upbringing.

Question 3

What is bias?

Answer 3

The tendency to treat one individual or group in a different way from others.

Question 4

What is Alpha Bias?

Answer 4

The attempt to exaggerate or overestimate the differences between genders.

Question 5

What is Beta Bias?

Answer 5

The attempt to downplay or underestimate the differences between the genders.

Question 6

What is Androcentrism?

Answer 6

When mens behavior is set as the standard against which women’s behavior is compared. Female behavior is often judged to be abnormal or inferior by comparison.

Question 7

What is an example of Alpha bias?

Answer 7

The Sociobiological theory of relationship theory of relationship formation (Wilson 1975)
Explains attraction and behavior through “survival efficiency” eg the man tries to impregnate the woman to pass on genes.
This suggests sexual promiscuity FOR MEN is genetically determined whilst women engaging in similar behavior is them going against their “nature”

Question 8

What is an example of Beta bias?

Answer 8

The fight or flight response as early research into it used male animals and was assumed to be universal.

Question 9

What is an example of Androcentrism?

Answer 9

PMS : stereotypes and trivializes the female experience and stereotyped as abnormal/ taken as a sign of psychological instability.

Question 10

What is a limitation of gender bias? (assumptions)

Answer 10

• Gender based research can create misleading assumptions about female behavior, failing to challenge negative stereotypes instead validating discriminatory practices.
• Using male behavior as standard , female behavior such as PMS or post-natal depression is seen as abnormal .
• Psychological research may therefore provide a way for male dominated societies to deny women opportunities in the workplace.
• Therefore gender bias can have damaging consequences for women in the real world .

Question 11

What is a limitation of Gender Bias? (sexism)

Answer 11

• Gender bias may occur in the research process as a result of sexism
• There is a lack of women appointed in research
• Female concerns may not be reflected in research questions asked
• Denmark et al (1988) argued this means that psychology may be guilty of supporting institutional sexism, creating bias in theory and research.

Question 12

What is a strength of gender bias? (feminist commentators)

Answer 12

• Feminist commentators have suggested a number of research criteria to ensure non gender biased research investigations.
• Worell (1992) proposed using other inquiry methods to explore lives of women such as considering them in natural settings in which they function, collaborating with participants to explore personally relevant variables and studying diverse samples.
• This helps reduce investigator biases that can affect female participants behavior, producing more valid data.

Question 13

What is a strength of gender bias? (Reflexivity)

Answer 13

• Recognizing of the effect of a researchers values and assumptions on their work is leading to inc reflexivity.
• Dambrin and Lambert (2008) in their study of the lack of women in executive positions in accountancy firms included reflection on how their gender related experiences influence their reading of events.
• This shows that academics are embracing their biases to understand how they are involved in the research process.
• Such reflexivity is an important development in psychology and may lead to greater awareness of the role of personal biases in shaping research in the future.