Gender issue

Question 1

Define alpha bias

Answer 1

Differences between sexes are exaggerated

Question 2

Define beta bias

Answer 2

differences between sexes are minimised or ignored. Often that one sex is ignored or excluded from research process

Question 3

Define androcentrism

Answer 3

consequence of beta bias where research / theories are centred around males

Question 4

Define gynocentrism

Answer 4

consequence of beta bias where research / theories are centred around females

Question 5

Define sampling error

Answer 5

most research uses white, males, undergraduate American students as participants

Question 6

Why is gender bias an issue

Answer 6

can lead to ignoring gender differences and the different treatment of males and females, based on stereotypes and not real differences

Question 7

Social

Answer 7

Assumptions may reinforce gender bias > that behaviour is determined by social norms, and these are different for different genders. Thus gender stereotypes are researched and reinforced/considered

Sherif study did not consider gender differences in prejudice. In the procedure. Use of competitive activities such as tug of war, and cooperative activities such as pulling bus out of the mud but these are both physical activities and may not be how females are competitive

However, milgram did a variation (8) with females and despite finding higher levels of anxiety compared to males they found the same obedience rates.

Question 8

Cog

Answer 8

Cognitive function is seen to be the same in all genders. This is because STM, LTM an the role of the hippocampus in memory all have a biological basis in the brain. Thus are not gender specific.
Schema theory states info is stored as schemas which are Packages of information based on previous experiences and beliefs. As males and females have differences experiences during socialisation, these could be gender bias, which the theory does not recognise.

Question 9

Bio

Answer 9

Assumptions that a persons biology: genes, brain and nervous system is responsible for behaviour can be seen as Alpha bias. The approach researches extensively the differences between male and female biology and why this leads to gender differences in behaviours.

The evolutionary theory states men tend to be more aggressive to protect there offspring and themselves and females are more selective with their mate choice to have a parental investment in there offspring. Therefore, displaying alpha bias showing large differences between males and females in terms of evolution.

Question 10

Learning

Answer 10

Operant conditioning states learning is through consequences. If a reward is given for a behaviour the more likely it is to be repeated. The process of this considers gender as the rewards given to males and females may differ. Therefore, learning psych does consider the differences between males and females
However, the social learning theory did study gender differences via bandura.

Observation and imitation of behaviour was developed based on Bandura’s original study. Although he studied both genders, he did find a gender difference in that boys always displayed more imitation of aggressive behaviour than girls. Therefore, it could be argued Alpha Bias is present here.

Watson and Rayner beta bias as 1 boy