Issues And Debates Flashcards
(8 cards)
Universality and Bias in Psychology
u: main aim of psychology is to establish universality of human behaviour which refers to any characteristics, traits or behaviours that can be applied to all. (Drawing conclusions that can be applied to everyone regardless of culture
B: Psychologist have argued that it is inevitable that bias may occur in research process which undermines these claims of universality. Bias refers to the tendency to view things in a unbalanced or unfair way (in other words exaggerating or ignoring differences that exist between people or groups of people)
Gender bias in psychology
and ‘Androcentrism’
Gender bias occurs whenever differences between males and females are either exaggerated or ignored.
For most of its life the majority of psychologists are men and therefore their theories they produced tended to represent the male world view. Androcentrism refers to the tendency of psychological research and theory to focus on men to the exclusion of women.
What is the first type of gender bias. + example
First type of gender bias is alpha bias, this refers to the tendency to exaggerate the differences between men and women it may enhance or undervalue members of either sex but usually females. One example of alpha bias is Freud’s theory of psychosexual development as during the phallic stage boys experience the oedipus complex (castration anxiety) which helps drive their moral development (super-ego) whereas females experience penis envy so therefore cannot undergo the oedipus complex and therefore are seen as morally inferior to men.
What is another form of gender bias. + example
Beta bias this is the tendency to ignore or minimise the differences between men and women, many theories assume what is true for men must also be true for women, (therefore mistakenly minimising gender differences). One example of this is the fight or flight response which was based on research of early male animals (due to female hormones fluctuating) and was assumed to be a universal response to threats.
TAYLOR ET AL showed females respond differently with a ‘TEND AND BEFRIEND response’ where fight or flight is inhibited and so attention can be shifted to caring for her offspring (tending) and forming defensive networks with other females (befriending)
Evaluation of gender bias in psychology. (methods or research)
Critics have argued that research methods used to test and observe males and females may also be gender biased. Suggested that LABORATORY BASED RESEARCH disadvantages women because the findings created in controlled conditions tell us very little about women outside these settings. EAGLY AND JOHNSON in LAB BASED STUDIES they found that men were more effective leaders but in real life settings men and women judged as similar. this is a problem as methods of psychological research may lead to alpha bias.
Another way of tackling androcentrism is..
Reverse alpha bias: some researchers have approached research into gender differences by aiming to emphasise the value of women by showing how women can outperform men. CORNWELL ET AL found that women are better at learning due to them being more attentive flexible and organised this is positive as it helps to challenge the stereotype that in gender differences the male position is better.
What is one major problem with gender bias and androcentrism in psychology.
Is that it provides scientific justification to deny women opportunities in society. A lack of senior female researchers mean that female concerns have been neglected, leading to inaccurate assumptions about female behaviour that has reinforced negative female stereotypes and validated discrimination at work and in society
How has feminist psychology tried to tackle androcentrism?
By considering whether many gender differences are simply social constructs. A far greater factor than real biologically based sex differences in perceived gender differences is social stereotypes. for example if boys an girls grow up seeing far more males than females in positions of power they might associate power and leadership with males making boys more likely than girls to show leadership skills because of these learnt expectations, this is a problem as often what might be presented as a genuine gender difference may simply be a social construction.
