Chapter 1: Sources of Bias in Psychological Research

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key biases and concepts discussed in the chapter on bias in psychological research.

Bias in hypothesis formation

Researchers' commitment to a theory or interpretation that favors or disfavors a gender, shaping the hypothesis and possibly misreading prior research.

Biased research question framing

Asking questions in a way that invites a negative view toward a gender or group (e.g., labeling a topic with stigmatizing wording).

Operational definition bias

Defining a construct in a way that unfairly advantages one gender, such as defining aggression only as physical harm.

Non-representative sampling (sampling bias)

Using participants (e.g., college students, upper-middle-class, White) who do not represent the broader population, leading to biased conclusions.

Confounding variable

An extra variable that could account for observed differences, potentially misattributing effects to gender (e.g., differing exposure to video games).

Experimenter effects

How the experimenter's characteristics (e.g., gender) or behavior can influence participants' responses.

Observer effects

Researchers' cues or expectations subtly shape how participants respond or answer.

Clever Hans effect

Participants respond to unintentional cues from researchers, misattributing ability to the participant rather than to cues themselves.

Participants’ expectancies (demand characteristics)

Participants alter their behavior to fit what they think the study is examining or expects.

Female deficit model (androcentrism)

Describing gender differences in ways that portray men as normal and women as deficient.

Statistical significance vs. practical significance

A result can be statistically significant but have little real-world, practical impact.

Ignoring confounding variables

Failure to account for variables other than gender that could explain observed effects, leading to erroneous conclusions.

Generalizability / population validity

Extending study findings to broader populations may be inappropriate if the sample isn't representative.

Publication bias toward differences

A tendency to publish and highlight studies that show gender differences more than similarities.

Media bias toward gender differences

Popular press and media emphasize differences more than similarities between genders.

Bias Against Female Scientists

Women researchers are underrepresented in publications and citations; publishing and citation gaps vary by field.

Self-citation disparity (gender citation gap)

Male researchers tend to cite themselves more often than female researchers, contributing to citation gaps.

Critical thinking reminder

Always examine the evidence, consider alternate explanations, and avoid accepting findings at face value.