Issues and Debates - Gender Bias Flashcards
What is gender bias?
The differential treatment of representation of men and women based on stereotypes rather than real difference.
What is alpha bias?
A tendency to exaggerate differences between men and women, suggesting that there are real and enduring differences between the two sexes.
What are the consequences of alpha bias?
Theories devalue one gender in comparison to the other, but typically devalue women.
What is an example of Alpha bias linked to psychodynamic explanations for offending?
(offending is due to deviant superego) - According to Freud, females should be less morally developed because they don’t experience castration anxiety, and therefore are under less pressure to identify with the moral standards of their same-sex parent, compared to boys.
What is an example of Alpha bias linked to relationship formation?
Wilson’s sociobiological theory of relationship formation suggests sexual promiscuity in males is genetically determined, whereas promiscuous females are going against their ‘nature’. Females need to be more selective when choosing their mates, due to a limited supply of eggs. Therefore such alpha bias may lead to prejudice and stereotyping of women who are promiscousus.
What is an example of Alpha bias linked to relationship formation?
Wilson’s sociobiological theory of relationship formation suggests sexual promiscuity in males is genetically determined, whereas promiscuous females are going against their ‘nature’. Females need to be more selective when choosing their mates, due to a limited supply of eggs. Therefore such alpha bias may lead to prejudice and stereotyping of women who are promiscuous.
What is an example of alpha bias linked to Schizophrenia?
Since the 1980s, Schizophrenia has been diagnosed more frequently in men compared to women. This is an example of alpha bias because women are more likely to be able to continue working, maintain good interpersonal relationships and show less distress than men. This means that the schizophrenic symptoms of women may be masked or not severe enough to merit a diagnosis.
What is androcentrism?
The consequence of beta bias and occurs when all behaviour is compared according to a ‘male’ standard, often to the neglect or exclusion of women.
What can androcentrism result in?
Can result in people assuming that what is true for men is also true for women, thus minimising the differences between men and women. An example of beta-bias is fight or flight, research is usually conducted with male animals as in females the variation in hormone levels would make research more difficult - it has been assumed that only male samples are needed as what is true for males is true for females. Taylor challenged this as females produce a ‘tend and befriend’ response at times of stress.
What is beta bias?
A tendency to ignore or minimise differences between men and women. Such theories tend to ignore questions about the lives of women or insights derived from studies of men will apply equally well to women.
What is an example of beta-bias linked to Kolhberg?
Kohlberg’s levels of moral reasoning theory was based on studying groups of American males who all answered questions based on moral dilemmas. These results were then generalised to represent levels of moral reasoning for both men and women.
What is universality?
The aim to develop theories that apply to all people, which may include real differences. This describes any underlying characteristics of human behaviour which can be applied to all individuals, regardless of their differences. Bias, lack of validity, and issues with reliability reduce the universility of psychological findings.
What are the strengths of the idea of gender bias?
+ Feminist psychology argues that there are real differences but socially determined stereotypes make a far greater contribution to perceived differences. Androcentrism can be countered by a feminist view and the balance can be readdressed
+ Reverse alpha bias describes the development of theories that show a greater emphasis on women . Cornwell showed that women are better at learning because they are more attentive, flexible and organised. Such research challenges the stereotype that in any gender differences the male position must be better and challenges people’s preconceptions.
+ Beta bias has allowed women greater access to educational and occupational opportunities. However it has been pointed out that arguing for equality draws attention away from women’s special needs.
What are the weaknesses of the idea of gender bias?
- Bias in research methods. Theories and studies that are gender biased, might have these findings because the methods used to test and observe find differences but there might not actually be any differences
- The laboratory experiment may also be an example of institutionalised sexism within psychology. Male researchers have the authority to deem women as unreasonable, irrational and unable to complete complex tasks.
- Assumptions need to be challenged - gender bias remains unchallenged in many theories. For example. Darwin’s theory of sexual selection portrays women as choosy and males as the ones who compete to be chosen, arguing that women are coy and males are aggressive as they are in competition. However, this view has been challenged as it has been found that women are equally competitive when needed.
