Issues and Debates

Question 1

What is universality

Answer 1

The idea there are a range of psychological characteristics that can be applied to all of us despite different experiences.

Question 2

What is gender bias

Answer 2

A gender bias is the differential treatment and/or representation of males and females, based on stereotypes and not on real differences.

Question 3

What is androcentrism

Answer 3

Theories focused on or centred on all-male samples, in studies conducted by males.

Question 4

What is alpha bias

Answer 4

An exaggeration of differences between men and women, e.g sexual selection

Question 5

What is beta bias

Answer 5

Researchers underestimating gender differences, e.g Milgram applying his obedience results from men to all genders.

Question 6

What is culture bias

Answer 6

When all human behaviour is interpreted from the perspective of one cultural viewpoint, e.g if you are an American undergraduate, you’re 4000x more likely to be a participant in psychological study.

Question 7

What is ethnocentrism

Answer 7

When a researcher takes their own cultural behaviour as “normal” and interprets deviation from these as abnormalites

Question 8

What is cultural relativism

Answer 8

Behaviours and concepts (like morality) can only be understood from the perspective of its cultural context

Question 9

What is an example of cultural relativism

Answer 9

Religious beliefs
There are practices in some religion that are acceptable in particular cultures but not in others. However, this does not qualify individuals to criticize each other’s practices, and they tolerate them as they are.

Question 10

What are etic constructs

Answer 10

Behaviours that are universal across all cultural groups, like smiling when happy

Question 11

What are emic constructs/behaviours

Answer 11

Behaviours that apply only to certain cultural groups

Question 12

What is an imposed etic

Answer 12

Arguing that a theory is universal despite research being conducted using emic constructs within a specific culture

Question 13

What is an example of imposed etics in research

Answer 13

Ainsworth strange situation
Imposing an etic on healthy upbringing as though its a universal concept, despite only being reflective of Western childbearing

Question 14

What is the CRISSE acronym

Answer 14

Cross cultural research
Representation
Reflexivity
Immersion
Sensitivity
Standards
Emic

Question 15

What is culture bias

Answer 15

Tendency to interpret all phenomena through ‘lens’ of one’s own culture, ignoring cultural differences

Question 16

What is ethnocentrism

Answer 16

Judging other cultures by the standards and values of one’s own culture. Imposing our etic.

Question 17

What is cultural relativism

Answer 17

Ideas that norms and values as well as ethics and moral standards can only be understood with specific social/cultural contexts

Question 18

What is an etic approach

Answer 18

Studying behaviour from outside a given culture, and describing the behaviour as universal

Question 19

What is an emic approach

Answer 19

Functions from inside a culture and identifies behaviours specific to that culture