Issues & Debates : L1 Gender Bias

Question 1

Define Gender Bias

Answer 1

Gender bias is the differential treatment/ representation of males and females based on stereotypes

Question 2

Define Alpha Bias

Answer 2

• Alpha bias refers to theories/studies that exaggerate the differences between males and females
• Argued that differences within the same gender are greater than between (anatomy)

Question 3

Define Beta Bias

Answer 3

Beta bias refers to theories/studies that ignore sex differences, often assuming that the findings from studies using males can be applied equally to females

Question 4

Define Androcentrism

Answer 4

• Theories which are focused on males
• The belief that men’s behaviour represents the norm and therefore that any behaviour typical of women might be judged abnormally
• Both Alpha & Beta bias are the consequences of androcentrism

Question 5

Examples of Alpha Bias Research

Answer 5

1) Frued argued that because girls do not suffer the same Oedipal conflict as boys, they do not identify with their mothers as strongly as boys identify with their fathers, and so develop weaker superegos (provides the moral standard between right and wrong). This suggests girls being morally weaker than boys.

2) The evolutionary approach has been criticised as it suggests that evolutionary processes in the development of the human species explain why men tend to be dominant and why women have more parental investment. It also suggests promiscuity in men is normal but abnormal for women. Therefore the evolutionary approach could be encouraging gender bias.

Question 6

Evidence of Beta Bias in research

Answer 6

• Normally no attempt to analyse the data to see whether there are significant sex differences
• Researches may ignore differential treatment of participants
• Rosenthal reported that male experimenters were more friendly and encouraging with female participants than male, concluding “Males and female subjects may, psychologically, not be in the same experiment”

Question 7

Examples of Beta Bias Research

Answer 7

1) Animal research can be criticised. Research into the flight - or - flight response is often carried out using males can animals due to less variation in hormones. These studies assumed the responses were the same for both sexes. However, Taylor (2000) found evidence that females produce a tend - and - befriend response, highlighting real differences were ignored.

2) Research into moral development suggests women’s morality might be less sophisticated than males. Kohlberg’s stage theory of moral development was based on research with boys between 10-16 over a 20 year period. His system was based on the morality of justice but an example of beta bias (only males used). However, research found women tend to be more focused on relationships when making moral decisions, resulting in a lower level using Kohlberg’s system = real difference was ignored.

3) Asch (1951 + 1955), Milgram (1964), Zimbardo (1973) etc. Only male participants used but assumed females would react in the same way = examples of beta bias

Question 8

Androcentrism explained

Answer 8

• The belief that men’s behaviour represents the norm and therefore that any behaviour typical of women might be judged abnormally
• Psychology has represented a male dominated version of the world, suggesting it is traditionally a subject produced by men, for men and about men
• Women’s behaviour is intercepted differently e.g reasons for stress (external pressure vs hormones)