Gender bias

• What is one way to counter androcentrism?

  Taking a feminist perspective
• What is the aim of feminist psychology?

  To correct the imbalances in theory and research in psychology
• Does feminist psychology agree that there are sex differences?

  Yes, it agrees that there are real biologically based sex differences
• What contributes more to perceived differences according to feminist psychology?

  Socially determined stereotypes
• How can the findings of feminist psychology inform us on correcting imbalances?

  By using evidence that women may be ‘inferior’ to provide greater support for women
• What did Eagly (1978) claim about women as leaders?

  That women may be less effective leaders than men
• What should be developed in response to Eagly's claim about women leaders?

  Suitable training programmes for women leaders
• How does feminist psychology contribute to understanding behavior?

  • It understands behavior in terms of social processes
  • It seeks to find ways to achieve greater equality in society
• What is a potential downside of feminist psychology?

  It may lead to a new kind of bias called gynocentrism
• What is gynocentrism?

  A dominant or exclusive focus on women in theory or practice
• What is one weakness of psychological theories and studies?

  They are gender-biased because the methods used are biased.
• What did the meta-analysis by Eagly and Johnson (1990) find regarding leadership styles?

  Women and men were judged as more similar in styles of leadership in real settings than in lab settings.
• Why do researchers argue that lab experiments disadvantage women?

  Because findings from lab settings tell us very little about the experiences of women outside these settings.
• What are the serious issues mentioned regarding data collection in psychological studies?

  The way data is collected creates a false account of male-female differences.
• What are the implications of gender bias in psychological research?

  • Misrepresentation of male-female differences
  • Inaccurate conclusions about leadership styles
  • Limited understanding of women's experiences in real-world settings
• A strategy to counter gender bias is to develop theories which show

  the differences between men and women but emphasise the value of

  women.

  For example, Cornwell et al.’s research shows that women are better

  at learning because they are more attentive, flexible and organised.

  This matters because some feminist research shows instances where

  women are better and it is therefore challenging the stereotype that

  in any gender differences the male position must be better.

  Therefore, this will change people’s preconceptions and may begin

  correcting gender stereotypes.
• What is a weakness of addressing gender bias in social processes?

  Amending social processes for equality may be disadvantageous.
• How does equal parental leave potentially disadvantage women?

  It ignores the biological demands of pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding.
• Why is it important to recognize women's unique abilities in discussions of gender equality?

  Arguing for equality can draw attention away from women's unique abilities.
• What is the consequence of equalling policies for men and women according to the study material?

  It benefits the group with more power.
• What should be avoided to ensure significant differences between genders are taken into account?

  Beta bias should be avoided.
• What are the implications of equal parental leave policies?

  • May disadvantage women
  • Ignores biological demands of pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding
  • Draws attention away from women's unique abilities
• What are the potential effects of beta bias in gender discussions?

  • Significant differences between genders may be overlooked
  • Policies may favor the more powerful group
  • Unique abilities of women may not be recognized