Issues and debates

Question 1

what is gender bias

Answer 1

the differences between genders are misrepresented

Question 2

what is alpha bias + examples

Answer 2

researcher exagerates the difference between men + women e.g. psychodynamic approach (Freud)

Question 2

studies are gender biased if

Answer 2

1. exagerate/ignore differences between men + women
2. observe behaviour in 1 gender and ignore the other
3. define behavioural categories in an incomplete way

Question 2

what is beta bias + examples

Answer 2

researcher minimises/ignores differences between men + women e.g Asch, Zimbardo, Milgram

Question 2

What is andocentrism

Answer 2

research focuses on male pps

Question 2

Androcentric bias

Answer 2

research lacks validity + reliability as it focuses on male pps

Question 2

why does Freud’s theory suffer from androcentric alpha bias

Answer 2

says that there are enormous permanent psychological differences between men + women, female traits are abnormal + inferior

Question 2

what is gynocentrism

Answer 2

research focuses on female pps

Question 2

what is gynocentric bias e.g

Answer 2

research makes invalid conclusions by using mainly female pps but drawing conclusions about everyone (generalising) e.g. Moscovici + Ainsworth

Question 2

what is cultural bias

Answer 2

researchers misrepresent differences between cultures

Question 2

what is ethnocentrism

Answer 2

when someone focuses on their own cultural perspective, assuming their own cultural perspective is correct/more important +other cultures as abnormal and inferior.

Question 2

what is universality

Answer 2

theory of behaviour that applies to everyone/generalise findings to everyone

Question 2

Name 3 studies that has ethnocentric bias

Answer 2

Mary Ainsworth + Asch + Milgram

Question 2

consequences of ethnocentric bias

Answer 2

-lead to harmful stereotypes (diff=worse), cultures being devalued
-decrease/lack external validity +reliability
-misdiagnosis, eyecontact = normal in US, if reduced =autism. eyecontact not normal in cultures (abnormal)

Question 3

what is ethnocentric bias

Answer 3

research lacks reliability/validity due to researchers ignoring other cultures completely/studying other cultures without understanding their cultural perspective

Question 3

How is Asch + Milgram ethnocentrically bias

Answer 3

only involved American pps but claimed universality by assuming all ppl from other cultures behave like Americans

Question 3

How is Ainsworths research ethnocentrically bias

Answer 3

• All pps middle class american mothers
  -additional research shows babies from collectivist cultures are more likely to have insecure resistant attachment
  -judging babies from other cultures by standards of Western social norms

Question 4

What is cultural relativism

Answer 4

Person’s behaviour must be understood from their own culture’s persepctive

Question 5

What is cross cultural research

Answer 5

research being carried out in different cultures to see if theories generalise/cultural variations. -> minimise risk of ethnocentric bias

Question 6

What is free will

Answer 6

full control over behaviour, Internal LOC

Question 7

What is determinism

Answer 7

never have control over our behaviour, External LOC

Question 8

3 types of determinism

Answer 8

~biological determinism (biology)
~psychic determinism (unconscious mind)
~environmental determinism (environment)