gender bias

Question 1

universality

Answer 1

any underlying characteristic of human beings that is capable of being applied to all, despite differences of experience and upbringing

Question 2

gender bias

Answer 2

psychological theories/studies do not represent the experiences and behaviours of one gender

Question 3

alpha bias

Answer 3

psychological research that exaggerates gender differences - may heighten value of girls/women but usually values in relation to boys/men (Freud)

Question 4

beta bias

Answer 4

psychological research that minimise gender differences, assuming that findings derived from one gender apply to everyone (Kohlberg)

Question 5

androcentrism

Answer 5

normal behaviour is equated with men’s behaviour so women’s behaviour is judged as abnormal or deviant

Question 6

example of alpha bias

Answer 6

Freud - argues girl’s identification with same-gender parent weaker so superego weaker - girls/women morally inferior

Question 7

example of beta bias

Answer 7

fight or flight
- favoured using male animals
- assumed males and females respond the same
- Shelley Taylor et al - oxytocin released more in women which reduces fight or flight and enhances tend and befriend

Question 8

example of androcentrism

Answer 8

American Psychologist Association published a list of 100 most influential psychologists - only 6 women

Question 9

biological versus social explanations

Answer 9

P - limited as gender different often presented as fixed when they are not
E - findings of several gender studies that concluded girls have superior verbal ability and boys spatial and said to be hardwired
E - brain scans opposed this and found no sex differences in brain structure
L - some research findings presented as biological facts explained better by social stereotypes

P - however, psychologists shouldnt avoid studying differences
E - popular stereotype that women better at multitasking
E - women’s brains may benefit from better connections between hemispheres
L - there may be biological differences

Question 10

sexism in research

Answer 10

P - limitation is gender bias promotes sexism
E - women underrepresented in university departments, especially science
E - research more likely to be conducted by men and may disadvantage participants who are women
L - male research may expect women to be irrational and these expectations lead to women underperforming - institutional structures may produce gender-biased findings

Question 11

gender-biased research

Answer 11

P - limitation that research challenging gender biases may not be published
E - analysis of over 1000 articles relating to gender bias published over eight years
E - research is funded less often and published by less prestigious journals - fewer scholars become aware of it
L - gender bias not taken as seriously as other research