Issues & Debates- Gender Bias Flashcards
Universality -
Any underlying characteristic of human beings that is capable of being applied to all, despite differences of experience and upbringing.
Gender bias and culture bias threaten the universality of findings in psychology.
Gender bias -
When considering human behaviour, bias is a tendency to treat one individual or group in a different way from others. In the context of gender bias, psychological research or theory may offer a view that does not justifiably represent the experience and behaviour of men or women (usually women).
Androcentrism -
Male-centred; when ‘normal’ behaviour is judged according to a male standard (meaning that female behaviour is often judged to be ‘abnormal’ or ‘deficient’ by comparison).
Alpha bias -
Psychological theories that suggest there are real and enduring differences between men and women. These may enhance or undervalue members of either sex, but typically undervalue females.
Beta bias -
Theories that ignore or minimise differences between the sexes.
What is the influence of social and historical context on psychologists?
Psychologists, like all people, possess beliefs and values influenced by their social and historical context, making bias an inevitable aspect of the research process.
What does bias in psychology challenge?
Bias challenges psychology’s claims of universality, where conclusions are assumed to apply to everyone, regardless of time or culture.
What are two forms of bias explored in psychology?
The two forms of bias explored are gender bias and cultural bias.
What is alpha bias in psychological research?
Alpha bias exaggerates or overestimates differences between the sexes, often presenting them as real, enduring, fixed, and inevitable.
What is an example of alpha bias?
An example is the sociobiological theory of relationship formation, which suggests male sexual promiscuity is genetically determined, while females engaging in the same behavior are seen as going against their nature.
What is beta bias in psychological research?
Beta bias ignores, minimizes, or underestimates differences between men and women, often assuming research findings apply equally to both sexes.
What is an example of beta bias in Kohlberg’s theory?
Kohlberg’s theory of moral development assumes findings from male participants apply equally to females, ignoring potential differences.
What is an example of beta bias in the fight or flight response?
Early research on fight or flight was based on male animals, assuming it was a universal response, but recent studies suggest females may respond differently by tending and befriending.
What is androcentrism, and how does it relate to beta bias?
Androcentrism occurs when understanding of “normal” behavior is drawn from all-male samples, leading to female behavior being judged as abnormal, inferior, or deficient.
What is an example of androcentrism in psychology?
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is criticized for medicalizing female emotions, like anger, while male anger is often seen as a rational response to external pressures.
What are the implications of gender bias in research?
Gender bias can create misleading assumptions about female behavior, reinforce negative stereotypes, validate discriminatory practices, and justify denying women opportunities in society.
How does gender bias affect women’s experiences in research?
In domains where men set the standard of normalcy, women may feel abnormal, and gender bias can lead to damaging consequences, such as higher rates of depression diagnoses in women.
What is sexism within the research process?
Sexism in research includes a lack of women in senior roles, male researchers being more likely to publish, and laboratory experiments disadvantaging female participants.
What is reflexivity in modern research?
Reflexivity involves researchers recognizing how their values and assumptions influence their work, embracing bias as a critical aspect of the research process.
What is an example of reflexivity in research?
Claire Dambrin and Caroline Lambert reflected on how their gender-related experiences influenced their study of women in executive positions in accountancy firms.
What is essentialism in psychology?
Essentialism is the perspective that gender differences are inevitable and fixed, often based on biological “facts” that may be politically motivated.
What is an example of essentialism in psychology?
In the 1930s, “scientific” research claimed intellectual activity, like attending university, could harm a woman’s ovaries and chances of giving birth.
What is the feminist psychology approach to avoiding gender bias?
Feminist psychology emphasizes studying women in meaningful real-life contexts, examining diversity within groups of women, and using collaborative, qualitative research methods.
How does feminist psychology differ from laboratory-based research?
Feminist psychology focuses on real-life contexts, participation, and qualitative data, avoiding the gender bias often present in controlled laboratory settings.
What is the sociobiological theory’s double standard regarding male and female behavior?
The sociobiological theory presents male promiscuity as genetically determined and natural, while female promiscuity is seen as unnatural, creating a double standard.
What is the impact of gender bias on psychological research?
Gender bias can lead to institutional sexism, misrepresentation of female behavior, and reinforcement of stereotypes, affecting both theory and research outcomes.
What is the role of reflexivity in addressing bias in psychology?
Reflexivity helps researchers acknowledge and address their biases, leading to greater awareness and more inclusive, accurate research practices.
What is the critique of PMS as a diagnostic category?
Critics argue PMS stereotypes and trivializes female experience, medicalizing emotions like anger, while male anger is often seen as rational and justified.
What is the significance of studying diversity within groups of women?
Studying diversity within groups of women avoids oversimplified comparisons between men and women, leading to a more nuanced understanding of female experiences.
What is the importance of collaborative research methods in feminist psychology?
Collaborative methods emphasize qualitative data and participant involvement, reducing gender bias and providing deeper insights into women’s lived experiences.
What is the diathesis-stress model?
The diathesis-stress model explains psychopathology as the result of a biological/genetic vulnerability (diathesis) that is triggered by environmental or biological stressors.
What did Pikka Tienari et al. (2004) find in their study on schizophrenia?
Tienari found that adoptees with a genetic vulnerability to schizophrenia were more likely to develop the disorder if raised in dysfunctional adoptive families, highlighting the interaction of nature and nurture.
What is epigenetics?
Epigenetics refers to changes in genetic activity without altering the genetic code, caused by environmental factors like lifestyle, pollution, or trauma, which can influence future generations.
What did Dias and Ressler (2014) demonstrate in their study with mice?
They showed that mice conditioned to fear a smell passed this fear response to their offspring and grandchildren, illustrating epigenetic inheritance.
What are the implications of nativism?
Nativism suggests that genetics determine behavior, leading to controversial applications like eugenics and debates linking race, genetics, and intelligence.
What are the implications of empiricism?
Empiricism suggests that behavior can be shaped by environmental changes, leading to practices like behavior shaping and potential societal control through reinforcement.
What are shared and unshared environments?
Shared environments are common experiences among siblings, while unshared environments are unique experiences that differ due to individual factors like age or temperament.
What is constructivism in the nature-nurture debate?
Constructivism suggests that individuals actively select environments that match their innate tendencies, further blurring the line between nature and nurture.
What is niche-picking and niche-building?
Niche-picking refers to individuals selecting environments that suit their genetic predispositions, while niche-building involves shaping those environments to fit their needs.
What are the three types of gene-environment interactions proposed by Scarr and McCartney?
The three types are passive interaction (parents’ genes influence their treatment of the child), evocative interaction (child’s genes shape their environment), and active interaction (child selects their own environment).
How does the nature-nurture debate relate to determinism?
A strong commitment to nature aligns with biological determinism, while a strong commitment to nurture aligns with environmental determinism.
How is constructivism similar to reciprocal determinism?
Both concepts emphasize the interaction between individuals and their environments, suggesting that behavior is shaped by a dynamic interplay of internal and external factors.
What is the significance of the nature-nurture debate in psychology?
The debate highlights the complex interplay between genetic and environmental influences, shaping how psychologists understand and study human behavior.
What is the role of epigenetics in the nature-nurture debate?
Epigenetics introduces the idea that environmental factors can influence genetic expression, affecting not only individuals but also future generations.
How does the diathesis-stress model illustrate the interaction of nature and nurture?
The model shows that genetic vulnerabilities (nature) only lead to psychopathology when combined with environmental stressors (nurture).
What is the role of twin studies in the nature-nurture debate?
Twin studies help explore the relative contributions of genetics and environment, though high concordance rates can be difficult to interpret due to shared upbringing.
How does the concept of unshared environments complicate the nature-nurture debate?
Unshared environments show that even siblings raised together experience life events differently, making it harder to separate genetic and environmental influences.
What is the practical application of behavior shaping in empiricism?
Behavior shaping uses reinforcement to modify behavior, demonstrating how environmental changes can influence actions, as seen in therapies and societal control.
How does epigenetics challenge traditional views of nature and nurture?
Epigenetics shows that environmental factors can leave lasting marks on genetic expression, influencing both individuals and their descendants, adding a third dimension to the debate.
What is the role of active interaction in gene-environment interactions?
Active interaction involves individuals selecting environments that match their genetic predispositions, further illustrating the dynamic interplay between nature and nurture.
How does the nature-nurture debate influence psychological research?
The debate shapes research by encouraging psychologists to consider both genetic and environmental factors, leading to more comprehensive and nuanced understandings of behavior.
What is the significance of the interactionist approach in psychology?
The interactionist approach emphasizes the dynamic relationship between nature and nurture, providing a more holistic view of human behavior.
How does the nature-nurture debate relate to socially sensitive research?
The debate raises ethical questions, particularly when linking genetics to behavior, as seen in controversies over race, intelligence, and eugenics.
What is the role of niche-picking in constructivism?
Niche-picking involves individuals selecting environments that align with their innate tendencies, demonstrating how nature and nurture interact in shaping behavior.
How does the nature-nurture debate apply to mental health?
The debate is crucial in understanding mental health, as conditions like schizophrenia are influenced by both genetic vulnerabilities and environmental triggers.
What is the significance of epigenetics in understanding generational trauma?
Epigenetics explains how traumatic experiences can leave genetic marks that affect future generations, highlighting the long-term impact of environmental factors.
