Issues & Debates- Gender Bias Flashcards
(58 cards)
Universality -
Any underlying characteristic of human beings that is capable of being applied to all, despite differences of experience and upbringing.
Gender bias and culture bias threaten the universality of findings in psychology.
Gender bias -
When considering human behaviour, bias is a tendency to treat one individual or group in a different way from others. In the context of gender bias, psychological research or theory may offer a view that does not justifiably represent the experience and behaviour of men or women (usually women).
Androcentrism -
Male-centred; when ‘normal’ behaviour is judged according to a male standard (meaning that female behaviour is often judged to be ‘abnormal’ or ‘deficient’ by comparison).
Alpha bias -
Psychological theories that suggest there are real and enduring differences between men and women. These may enhance or undervalue members of either sex, but typically undervalue females.
Beta bias -
Theories that ignore or minimise differences between the sexes.
What is the influence of social and historical context on psychologists?
Psychologists, like all people, possess beliefs and values influenced by their social and historical context, making bias an inevitable aspect of the research process.
What does bias in psychology challenge?
Bias challenges psychology’s claims of universality, where conclusions are assumed to apply to everyone, regardless of time or culture.
What are two forms of bias explored in psychology?
The two forms of bias explored are gender bias and cultural bias.
What is alpha bias in psychological research?
Alpha bias exaggerates or overestimates differences between the sexes, often presenting them as real, enduring, fixed, and inevitable.
What is an example of alpha bias?
An example is the sociobiological theory of relationship formation, which suggests male sexual promiscuity is genetically determined, while females engaging in the same behavior are seen as going against their nature.
What is beta bias in psychological research?
Beta bias ignores, minimizes, or underestimates differences between men and women, often assuming research findings apply equally to both sexes.
What is an example of beta bias in Kohlberg’s theory?
Kohlberg’s theory of moral development assumes findings from male participants apply equally to females, ignoring potential differences.
What is an example of beta bias in the fight or flight response?
Early research on fight or flight was based on male animals, assuming it was a universal response, but recent studies suggest females may respond differently by tending and befriending.
What is androcentrism, and how does it relate to beta bias?
Androcentrism occurs when understanding of “normal” behavior is drawn from all-male samples, leading to female behavior being judged as abnormal, inferior, or deficient.
What is an example of androcentrism in psychology?
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is criticized for medicalizing female emotions, like anger, while male anger is often seen as a rational response to external pressures.
What are the implications of gender bias in research?
Gender bias can create misleading assumptions about female behavior, reinforce negative stereotypes, validate discriminatory practices, and justify denying women opportunities in society.
How does gender bias affect women’s experiences in research?
In domains where men set the standard of normalcy, women may feel abnormal, and gender bias can lead to damaging consequences, such as higher rates of depression diagnoses in women.
What is sexism within the research process?
Sexism in research includes a lack of women in senior roles, male researchers being more likely to publish, and laboratory experiments disadvantaging female participants.
What is reflexivity in modern research?
Reflexivity involves researchers recognizing how their values and assumptions influence their work, embracing bias as a critical aspect of the research process.
What is an example of reflexivity in research?
Claire Dambrin and Caroline Lambert reflected on how their gender-related experiences influenced their study of women in executive positions in accountancy firms.
What is essentialism in psychology?
Essentialism is the perspective that gender differences are inevitable and fixed, often based on biological “facts” that may be politically motivated.
What is an example of essentialism in psychology?
In the 1930s, “scientific” research claimed intellectual activity, like attending university, could harm a woman’s ovaries and chances of giving birth.
What is the feminist psychology approach to avoiding gender bias?
Feminist psychology emphasizes studying women in meaningful real-life contexts, examining diversity within groups of women, and using collaborative, qualitative research methods.
How does feminist psychology differ from laboratory-based research?
Feminist psychology focuses on real-life contexts, participation, and qualitative data, avoiding the gender bias often present in controlled laboratory settings.
