Issues & Debates Flashcards
What does the term “universality” mean in psychology?
Universality refers to the claim that psychological conclusions can be applied to all people, regardless of time, culture, or gender.
What is gender bias in psychological research?
Gender bias occurs when psychological research presents a view that unjustifiably represents the experience of one gender, usually women.
What is alpha bias?
Alpha bias overestimates gender differences, often devaluing women, e.g., evolutionary explanations for promiscuity.
What is beta bias in psychological research?
Beta bias underestimates gender differences, such as using only male participants and generalizing findings to both sexes.
What example illustrates beta bias in early psychological research?
The fight-or-flight response was studied using only male animals, but it was assumed the findings applied universally.
What is androcentrism?
Androcentrism occurs when male behavior is taken as the norm, leading to female behavior being misunderstood or pathologized.
How might gender bias affect psychological publication trends?
Male researchers are more likely to be published, and studies showing gender differences are more likely to be accepted.
What is the essentialist perspective in gender research?
It views gender differences as fixed and inevitable, though social contexts may show otherwise.
What guidelines did Worell propose to reduce gender bias in research?
Study women in meaningful contexts, include diversity, encourage participation, and use collaborative qualitative methods.
What is cultural bias in psychology?
It is the tendency to judge people by one’s own cultural standards, leading to misinterpretation of behaviors from other cultures.
What is ethnocentrism in psychology?
Ethnocentrism emphasizes one’s own culture and views behaviors from other cultures as inferior or underdeveloped.
How did Ainsworth’s Strange Situation demonstrate ethnocentrism?
It judged German infants as insecure for not showing distress, overlooking cultural norms promoting independence.
What is cultural relativism?
The belief that behavior must be understood within the cultural context it occurs.
What was found by Cochrane and Sashidharan regarding diagnosis in African-Caribbean immigrants?
They were seven times more likely to be diagnosed with mental illness, questioning the validity of Western diagnostic tools.
How can cross-cultural research reduce cultural bias?
It reveals differences in global norms and avoids assumptions of universality.
Give an example of a culture-specific mental illness.
“Brain fag” in West Africa or “koro” in China.
Which human behaviors are thought to be universal?
Basic emotional expressions and interactional synchrony between caregiver and infant.
What is the main criticism of assuming universal psychological norms?
It ignores cultural context and promotes a Western-centric view of “normal” behavior.
What is the practical impact of institutional sexism in psychology?
It influences research agendas and the kinds of studies that are prioritized or published.
Why is it important to include diverse participants in research?
To ensure findings are valid across different genders, cultures, and life experiences.
What does the concept of free will suggest?
That humans are self-determining and capable of choosing their own thoughts and actions.
Which psychological approach emphasizes free will?
The humanistic approach.
What is determinism in psychology?
The belief that behavior is caused by factors outside our control, either internal or external.
What is hard determinism?
The idea that all behavior is entirely controlled by forces beyond our control, aligning with scientific aims.
