Issues and Debates Flashcards
What is gender bias in psychology?
A tendency to favor one gender over another, leading to distorted research findings and assumptions
Define alpha bias.
Exaggerates differences between genders, often devaluing females
Example: Freud’s belief that girls have a weaker identification with their same-sex parent than boys.
What is beta bias?
Ignores or underestimates differences between genders
Example: The fight or flight response being based on male animals and assumed to be universal.
What does androcentrism refer to?
A male-centered perspective that leads to alpha and beta bias
Example: Judging non-male behavior as abnormal, such as premenstrual syndrome.
What are the implications of gender bias in psychological studies?
May lead to misleading assumptions and validate discriminatory practices
Gender bias can reinforce negative stereotypes and sexism in research.
What is the free will-determinism debate?
Discussion on whether behavior is chosen freely or determined by internal/external factors.
Define hard determinism.
The belief that all human actions have a cause.
What is soft determinism?
The idea that there is freedom within a restricted range of choices.
What is biological determinism?
The belief that biological factors, such as genes, determine behavior.
What does environmental determinism suggest?
That behavior is shaped entirely by environmental influences.
What is psychic determinism?
The belief that behavior is caused by unconscious conflicts from childhood.
True or False: Free will is consistent with scientific principles.
False
Determinism is more consistent with scientific aims, as it allows for prediction and control.
What is cultural bias?
The tendency to favor one culture over others in research.
What does WEIRD stand for in psychological research?
Westernized, Educated, Industrialized, Rich Democracies.
Define ethnocentrism.
The belief in the superiority of one’s own cultural group.
