Gender bias

What is gender bias?

What is gender bias?

The differential treatment or representation of men and women based on stereotyped rather than real differences

What is androcentrism?

Male centred: when ‘normal’ behaviour is judged according to a male stanard

What is alpha bias?

A tendency to exaggerate differences between men and women = theories devalue one gender in comparison to the other

What is beta bias?

A tendency to ignore or minimise differences between men and women

What is universality?

Aim to develop theories that apply to all people, despite differences in experiences and upbringing

What are 3 pieces of research which show alpha bias?

1. Diagnosis of mental disorders

2. Bowlby’s theory of attachment

3. Freud’s theory of moral development

Outline the study that supports that alpha bias is present in the diagnosis of mental disorders:

Hare-Mustin and Maracek (1988) claim that much of the research and literature used in the DSM and ICD classifications to diagnosis depression were written by male doctors and psychologists and they have found that psychiatrists are more likely to diagnose depression in women compared with males, even when they have similar scores in standardised measures of depression or present identical symptoms

How does the diagnosis of mental disorders show alpha bias?

• Depression is more likely to be diagnosed in women compared to men as women are more open about problems and more likely to visit doctors for treatment

• Just because males don’t report symptoms doesn’t mean they’re not suffering from depression, differences between sexes = exaggerated

How does Bowlby’s theory of attachment show alpha bias?

Mothers need to stay at home and care for children otherwise it could damage children’s social, cognitive and emotional development. Which implies only mothers can fulfil this role reinforcing differences between sexes and consequently gender stereotypes

Outline the findings of Freuds theory of moral development:

He argued that through the Oedipus complex boys develop a strong superego, as they identify with their fathers as they fear castration if they do not regulate their sexual desires towards their mothers. According to Freud, girls don’t develop such a strong superego as they face less pressure to identify with the same sex parent (their mother). This is because they blame their mother for castrating them and have penis envy, leading them to have a greater attachment with their father.

How does Freud’s theory of moral development show alpha bias?

• Freud = girls don’t develop as strong as a superego as boys as they face less pressure to identify with same sex parent (mother)

• They blame the mother for castrating them and they have penis envy = greater identification with father

This leads to the idea that women are inferior to men as less morally developed than men (superego is responsible for moral conscious) exaggerating differences between sexes

What are three pieces of research which show beta bias?

1. Asch and Milgram’s social influences research

2. The fight or flight response

3. Kohlberg’s research on moral development

How does Asch and Milgram’s research show beta bias?

Used only male participants, so there is the assumption made there would be no difference between male and females in terms of obedience and conformity and so you can apply this data to females

How does the fight or flight response show beta bias?

• Early research conducted on male animals only - assumed would be true for females

This has been challenged - found female biology has evolved to inhibit fight or flight response and adopt tend-and-befriend response = shift attention towards caring for offspring and forming defensive networks with other females

How does Kohlberg’s research on moral development show beta bias?

• Research is based mainly on male-orientated dilemmas, using male ptpts

This assumed there is no difference between men and women in term of moral thinking = it wouldn’t matter if only male ptpts are used as responses could be applied to all

Why should research avoid beta bias?

Minimising differences between sexes could draw attention away from women’s special needs such as parental leave for pregnancy

What are some social implications of gender bias research?

Could validate discriminatory practices against females e.g in the workplace

How can psychologists reverse alpha bias?

To develop theories which show the differences between men and women but that emphasised the value of women

What is survival efficiency?

This is the belief that males are hardwired to be promiscuous and to spread their genes, whereas females are hard wired to nurture offspring

Who developed the sociobiological theory?

Wilson (1975)

What is gynocentrism?

This is a type of beta bias that refers to the idea that female thinking and behaviour are ‘normal’ whilst male thinking and behaviour are ‘abnormal’

What are the DSM and ICD?

They are diagnostic manuals

What are the limitations presented by gender bias?

• Biological vs social explanations

• Reverse alpha bias

• Social and economical implications of gender bias

• Avoiding beta bias

Explain biological vs social explanations of gender bias?

Gender differences are presented as fixed and endured when they aren’t. Maccoby and Jacklin (1974) found several gender studies which concluded that girls have superior verbal ability whereas boys have better spatial. However Joel et al (2015) used brain scanning techniques and found no such sex differences in brain structure or processing. It should be way of accepting research as biological facts when they might be better explained as social stereotypes.

What is the counter for biological vs social explanations of gender bias?

HOWEVER this doesn’t mean that psychologists should be avoid studying possible gender differences in the brain. E.g. Ingalhalikar et al (2014) suggested the stereotypes that multi tasking may have some biological truth. This is as women’s brain may benefit from better connections between right and left hemispheres as they have a thicker corpus callosum. Suggesting there may be biological differences but should be wary of exaggerating the effect they have on behaviour

Explain the reverse alpha bias?

One counter to gender bias is to develop theories which show the differences between men and women but the emphasise the value of women. E.g. Cornwell et al (2013) has shown that women are better at learning because they are more attentive, flexible and organised. Such research challenges the stereotype that in any gender differences the male position must be better and changes people’s preconceptions

Explain social and economical implications of gender bias:

Gender-biased research creates misleading assumptions about female behaviour and validates discriminatory practises, providing scientific justification to deny women opportunities within the workplace or in wider society. E.g. pre-menstrual syndrome in females medicalises female emotions, by explaining them in hormonal terms. This can lower opportunities for females as they can be seen as emotional. However emotions such as anger in males are seen as rational response to external pressure.

Explain avoiding beta bias:

It may be a disadvantage to minimise differences between men and women fight for equal treatment as this may draw attention away from women’s special needs. E.g. equal parental leave ignores the biological demands of pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding and the special needs of women, therefore disadvantaging women.