Gender Bias

Topic 1

What is universality?

Psychologists aim to discover general rules about human behaviour that are objective, and generalisable to all people anywhere regardless.

What is gender bias?

A type of bias where psychological research or theory may offer a view that does not justifiably represent the experience of all genders based on stereotypes rather than real difference.

What is androcentrism and gynocentrism?

Androcentrism means being centred on or dominated by males or the males viewpoint whereas gynocentrism is the opposite. this can be conscious or unconscious.

Define alpha bias?

Where theories exaggerate the difference between men and women.

What is an example of alpha bias?

Early attachment theory and research proposed that only females could be primary caregivers.

Define beta bias?

Where theories ignore or minimise sex differences.

What is a common assumption in beta biased theories?

The findings from males can apply equally to females, even when women have been excluded from the research process.

Name an example of beta bias?

Fight or flight response research has mostly been conducted on male animals because female ovulation creates significant hormonal changes. Taylor et al. (2000) proposed the ten and befriend response in women.

What is a limitation of gender biased research?

There is a lack of support for theories that show alpha bias.

What research supports that there is a lack of support for theories that show alpha bias?

Gender differences are presented as being biologically fixed when they are not:

• Maccoby and Jacklin 1974: Found girls have superior verbal ability vs boys have superior spatial skills, and suggested these differences were hardwired into the brain before birth.

• Joel et al. 2015: Used brain scanning methods and found no significant sex differences in brain structure or processing.

What is a strength of being aware of gender bias?

Becoming aware of issues like gender bias can help create solutions.

What are some examples of solutions to help reduce gender bia?

• Include P’s of both sexes in research 

• Make it clear who the conclusions apply to is using a single-sex sample

• Researchers are now more reflective so researchers are more likely to consider perspectives different to their own minimising bias