issues and debates: gender bias

Question 1

gender bias

Answer 1

differential treatment or representation of men and women based on stereotypes and real life differences.

Question 2

alpha bias

Answer 2

exaggerated bias between men and women. As a consequence, theories that are alpha biased devalue one gender in comparison to the other.
E.g: alpha bias

Question 3

beta

Answer 3

ignores any difference between men and women, minimises the difference
E.g: stress research
Research is done on male animals however there is a confounding variable as it does not test female animals. Therefore the response would not be the same.

Question 4

Universality definition

Answer 4

The solution lies in recognising the differences but not the superiority of one gender over another

Question 5

Androcentrism

Answer 5

Results in alpha or beta bias because psychology is mostly male dominated and almost all psychologist are male therefore the results tend to represent a male world view.

Question 6

An example of gender bias

Answer 6

Freud’s research
19th century - men were more powerful than women. In his alpha biased theory of psychoanalysis freud viewed féminité as failed masculinity — he exaggerated the difference between men and women