Issues and debates - gender bias

Question 1

gender bias

Answer 1

differential treatments of men and women based on stereotypes, not real differences

Question 2

universality

Answer 2

conclusions that can be applied to everyone, regardless of time or culture

Question 3

alpha bias

Answer 3

there are very real differences between men and women, and they are exaggerated. historically this undervalues women

Question 4

beta bias

Answer 4

ignores or minimises differences between men and women

Question 5

androcentrism

Answer 5

male-centred. most cultures take male behaviour as the standard. meaning female behaviour is pathologised and misunderstood

Question 6

example of key study with alpha bias

Answer 6

Freud’s psychosexual stages. femininity is failed masculinity and girls have ‘penis-envy’

Question 7

examples of key studies with beta bias

Answer 7

Asch, Zimbardo and Milgram all have no female participants but results are presumed to be universal

Question 8

strengths of gender bias

Answer 8

+ being reflexive allows for critical developments and self-awareness
+ can be reduced by stating results are not universal
+ can be reduced by encouraging more female participants and researchers

Question 9

weaknesses of gender bias

Answer 9

• glass ceiling = lack of female researchers so women’s opinions aren’t expressed
• can create misleading assumptions about women and fail to challenge stereotypes, creating real consequences for women. for example: PMS and women are 2x more likely to be diagnosed with depression