issues and debates Flashcards
What is alpha bias?
maximises gender differences in behaviour
What is beta bias?
minimises gender differences in behaviour
Gender bias results in…
Andocentrism
Andocentrism is…
men’s behaviour represents the norm which views women’s behaviour as abnormal
Example of beta bias
Women do not respond in the same way as men in the fight or flight mechanism. they have a “tend and befriend” mechanism(Taylor et al) Under conditions of threat, they tend to offspring to ensure their survival and affiliate with others for joint protection and comfort. - due to a surge in oxytocin
Example of alpha bias
Freud’s psychoanalytical theory(Oepidus and Electra complex). This portrays women as inferior to men.
what is universiality?
(way to reduce gender bias)
men and women are more similar than different regardless of time/culture
a limitation point for gender bias is…
Gender differences are presented as fixed. Social stereotypes are presented as facts. Maccoby and Jacklin concluded that girls have better verbal ability and boys have better spatial ability
counterpoint- some stereotypes have a biological basis (ingalhalikar et al.)(biopsych)
another limitation for gender bias is…
Bias in research methods used in the research and testing process. Male experimenters are more pleasant/encouraging to females so they perform better than their counterparts(Rosenthal).
Universality is…
universal standards for behaviours and values in gender/culture
A WEIRD sample is….
Westernised, educated, industrialised, rich, democratic people.Contrasts Universality
Cultural bias is…
The tendency to judge all people in terms of your own cultural assumptions
my culture=norm
other culture=abnormal
Ethnocentrism is….
Western culture is superior and other cultures behaviour that don’t conform to western culture is inferior
Cultural relativism is ….
Behavior must be understood in the light of their own culture and not judged according to the standards of a different culture.
Imposed etic is…
Applying a theory designed for one culture to another
emic is…
looks at the beliefs, values, and practices of a culture from the perspective of the people within that culture.
Socially sensitive research is…
research linked to a controversial social issue, with a risk of harming groups within society,represented by the research, such as women or ethnic minorities and the risk of harming participants in the research
LIST Seiber and stanley’s aspect of reserch to consider when conducting socially sensitive research
-implications of research question may be controversial by making damaging prejudices credible
-use of research, it may be good for targeting certain groups but this may mean that other groups are judged wrongly.
-validity of socially sensitive research-some findings were originally objective-turned out to be suspicious/fraudulent
-confidentiality of people with aids, domestic abuse survivors.
ethical implications is…
The impact psychological research has in terms of the rights of participants and the societies they represent
e.g. effects of romanian orphan studies on orphans around the world(paper 1 topic)
examples of socially sensitive research
-Milgram used deception. participant teachers thought they were giving real electric shocks to confederates but they were actually fake
tip-relate socially sensitive research to ethical issues
affected public policy:
-> Bowlby maternal deprivation theory and attachment. Mothers are now given parental custody in cases of divorce and separation, before this it would usually be given to fathers
-> Burt found that intelligence is genetic via his twin studies.This helped to develop 11+ exams which separates children based on natural intelligence- whether you go to grammar scl or state scl. BUrt however made up a large amount of this data, and invented his research assistants. It is too late to change cos the gov already passed the policy
discussion points-socially sensitive research
-cost/benefit analysis
- research may be beneficial
-APA apology-shows that socially sensitive research is harmful
nomothetic is…
when general laws are established for everyone.
-uses large samples, and quantitative research methods e.g. experiments and correlational studies
e.G.- behaviourist and cognitive approach
idiographicis….
Focuses on the unique individual. They gain insight into the individual’s experience-no comparing. Qualitative data obtained via unstructured interviews and open questions. e.g. humanistic psychology, psychodynamic
objectivity and subjectivity
objectivity-basis of nomothetic approach, ensures replicability so that laws are established
subjectivity-basis of idiograohic approach-focuses on individual’s experience
Define reductionism
understanding behaviour in terms of small and basic parts
the 2 types of reductionism
-biological
-environmental
environmental determinism is…
behaviour is learnt and acquired via interactions with the environment(stimulus-response) e.g. behaviourist app,
define holism
analysing a person/behaviour as a whole or looks at complex factors which explains a behaviour as a whole
define levels of explanation
The different ways of understanding behaviour. It becomes more reductionist and scientific as you go down.
1 )sociological—–>psychodynamic
2) psychological—->SLT then cognitive
3) biological —–>environmental reductionism
——–>biological reductionism(more reductionist than env., lower level of explanation)
psychic determinism is….
(psychodynamic app.) Behaviour determined by unconscious conflicts repressed in childhood(stuck in a psychosexual stage)
