Issues and Debates (Spec-specific) - Gender Bias AO1

Question 1

What is Gender Bias?

Answer 1

-Psychological research or theory
-Offers a view that does not justifiably represent the experience and behavior of men and women
-May represent one gender only

Question 2

What is Universality?

Answer 2

Underlying characteristic of human beings that is capable of being applied to all, despite differences of experience or upbringing

Question 3

What is Bias?

Answer 3

Tendency to treat one individual or group in a different way to others

Question 4

What is Beta Bias?

Answer 4

The attempt to downplay or underestimate the differences between genders

Question 5

What is Alpha Bias?

Answer 5

The attempt to exaggerate or overestimate the differences between the genders

Question 6

What is Androcentrism?

Answer 6

-When men’s behaviour is used as the standard to which women’s behaviour is compared to
-Females are often seen as ‘abnormal’, ‘deficient’ or ‘inferior’ by comparison

Question 7

What can be used as an example of Beta-Bias?

Answer 7

-Taylor et al. (fight or flight response)
-Sheridan and King (in reference to Milgram’s obedience studies)

Question 8

What did Taylor et al. study?

Answer 8

Females are likely to ‘Tend or Befriend’ instead of ‘Fight or Flight’

Question 9

What did Sheridan and King study?

Answer 9

-Variation of Milgram’s obedience study
-100% of women used a fatal shock on a puppy, while only 54% of males did

Question 10

What are examples of Alpha-Bias?

Answer 10

-Freud (Oedipus complex)
-Evolutionary Approach to Psychology (justify classic gender stereotypes)

Question 11

How did Freud use Alpha-Bias?

Answer 11

-Boys associate better with their fathers because of the Oedipus complex
-Girls don’t associate as much with their mothers because they lack an Oedipus complex
-Therefore, women develop weaker superegos

Question 12

How does the Evolutionary Approach use Alpha-Bias?

Answer 12

-Encourages stereotypes such as ,men are more dominant’ or ‘women are more parental to their offspring’
-Society has changed since these gender roles were required and normalised

Question 13

What are examples of Androcentrism?

Answer 13

-DSM-III_R (pathologising female behaviours)
-Brescoll and Uhlman (pre-mentrual syndrome)

Question 14

How is the DSM-III-R Androcentric?

Answer 14

-Proposed a ‘Masochistic Personality Disorder’ for women
-Included symptoms of behaviours that men do not tend to show (self-sacrifice, rejecting opportunities for pleasure)

Question 15

How is PMS Androcentric?

Answer 15

-Uses stereotypes to medicalise female emotions using hormonal terms
-Whereas male anger is seen as a logical response to pressures

Question 16

How can you avoid Gender Bias?

Answer 16

-Don’t extrapolate findings
-Use both male and female participants
-Use both male and female researchers so both viewpoints are considered
-Don’t exaggerate differences in findings
-Be sensitive
-Be reflexive in research