Section A: Issues and debates Flashcards
What is universality?
That conclusions drawn can be applied to everyone, anywhere regardless of culture and time.
What is gender?
It refers to the behavioural, cultural and psychological characteristics that distinguish males from females.
Define gender bias.
When the differences between genders have not been considered properly, leading to a biased or potentially biased conclusion.
What is Androcentric?
It’s a male-centred version of the world. Its perspective refers to when “normal” behaviour is judged according to a male standard.
Name 2 forms of gender bias because psychology is androcentric.
- Alpha bias
2. Beta bias
Define alpha bias.
When differences between men and women are shown and maybe exaggerated. Such differences are typically presented as fixed or inevitable.
What are the consequences of alpha bias?
Either to heighten the value of women or devalue them. (prejudice and discrimination)
Define beta bias.
When differences between men and women are ignored or underestimated. This happens when we assume that all research findings can be applied equally to both men and women.
What are the consequences of beta bias?
Needs of one gender (usually women) are ignored or results in an inaccurate belief about behaviour. (inaccurate theories.)
Give a alpha bias example. (Biological approach)
Abnormal behaviour such as depression can be explained in terms of neurochemical/hormonal processes. Twice as man women are diagnosed than men, so it’s women’s hormones that can be used to explain this difference.
Pre-menstrual syndrome can be used to support the effect that the hormones have on women’s emotions.
Give a beta bias example. Research on attachment.
It assumed that emotional care is provided solely by mothers. But research shows that fathers can supply the emotional care often assumed to be province of women.
Evaluation of gender bias.
3 limitations
- Gender differences are often seen as fixed and enduring. e.g. Maccoby and Jacklin (1974)
- Promotes sexism in research bias.
- Challenging gender biases may not be published. e.g. Formanowicz et al. (2018)
Define ethnocentrism.
Particular form of cultural bias and is belief in the superiority of own’s own cultural group. Assuming that the behaviour in their culture is the norms and the behaviour in other cultures, if different, it’s abnormal.
Ainsworth’s strange situation.
What was this research studying?
Attachment type.
Ainsworth’s strange situation.
What were the conclusions?
The ideal attachment type is secure attachment characterised by babies showing a moderate amount of distress when left alone by their mother figure.
Ainsworth’s strange situation.
What misrepresentations did it lead to?
Child-rearing practices in other countries which seem to deviate from the American ‘norm’.
E.g. Japanese infants
Ainsworth’s strange situation.
How can this be criticised for being ethnocentric?
Mary Ainsworth’s strange situation research can be seen to be ethnocentric due to the fact that the research procedure was developed in the US.
What is etic?
It looks at a behaviour from outside a culture and attempts to describe those behaviours as universal.
Define Emic.
It looks at a behaviour from within a given culture and identifies behaviours that are specific to that culture.
What is imposed etic?
It assumes that a behaviour of somewhere is the ideal behaviour universally.
Define cultural relativism.
Idea that cultural norms and values are culture specific and no-ones culture is superior to another culture.
Evaluation of culture bias.
2 limitations
- Many of the most influential studies in psychology are culturally-biased. E.g. Asch’s and Milgram’s studies.
- Cultural bias can lead to discrimination and stereotyping.
Evaluation of culture bias.
2 strengths
- Counter ethnocentrism by encouraging indigenous psychologists.
- Due to increased travel psychologists have an increased understanding today of different cultures.
What are ethical implications of research studies and theories?
They concern the consequences that psychological research have.
Define social sensitivity.
Any psychological research that has wider ethical implications that impact individuals or the class of participants they represent outside of the research context.
How is Bowlby’s maternal deprivation hypothesis considered socially sensitive?
The separation of any kind causes developmental issues.
How is Bandura’s bobo doll study considered socially sensitive?
Children and anyone for that matter can be aggressive.
How is Raine (1996)’s brain scans of violent criminals considered socially sensitive?
People may act differently to you if they knew or may not even want you.
What are 3 implications for the research process?
- Research question
- Dealing with participants
- The way findings are used
