Gender / Culture

• What is Gender Bias?


  The differential treatment or representation of men and women based in stereotypes rather than real difference.
• What is Androcentrism?


  Male behaviour is viewed as the norm so females are abnormal when they don't behave in the same way. Can lead to either alpha or beta bias.

  • Psychological theories typically represent a male world-view.
• What is Universality?


  The aim to develop theories that apply to all people and acknowledge real differences without claiming superiority of one gender.
• What is Alpha Bias?


  This occurs when the differences between men and women are exaggerated.

  • Therefore, stereotypically male and female characteristics may be emphasised.
• What is Beta Bias?


  This occurs when the difference between men and women are minimised.

  • This often happens when findings obtained from men are applied to women without additional validation.
• What are the 3 main ways that gender bias can occur?

  Male samples:

  • Asch, Zimbardo

  Male behaviour as standard:

  • Fight or flight

  Biological differences emphasis:

  • Females = promiscuous (slut, whore)
• What is a limitation of Gender Bias?

  It can create misleading assumptions about female behaviour.

  • Men are used to research, it is assumed that men are the normal and women can begin to feel abnormal.
  • Gender bias can be damaging consequences in real life. It fails to acknowledge negative stereotypes.
• What is a limitation of Gender Bias?


  Reflexivity

  • The process of reflecting on the relationship between the researcher and the research.
  • Acknowledging bias and the fact that it may play a role in the interpretation of results.
• What is a limitation of Gender Bias?


  Sexism with the research process

  • There is a lack of women in high positions at research level. The questions that may be interested in researching will not be acknowledged.
  • Male researcher will be more likely to have their research published and may find evidence of gender difference.
  • In lab experiments, female participants may be researched by (normal) male researchers who can label them as unreasonable, irrational and unable to complete complex tasks (Nicolson, 1995).
• What is Culture Bias?


  A tendency to ignore cultural differences and interprets all phenomena (behaviour) through the lens of ones own culture.
• What does phenomena mean?

  A rare or significant fact or event.
• What is Ethnocentrism?


  Where our culture is seen at the norm and we judge the cultures against ours. (e.g. most research is conducted in western cultures and are ethnocentric).
• What is the Emic approach in Culture Bias?


  When studying individual cultures and behaviours that are culturally specific. Looking at behaviours from within a culture.
• What is the Etic approach in Culture Bias?


  When studying behaviour across many cultures in order to find universal human behaviours. Looking at behaviours from outside a culture.
• What is the Imposed etic in Culture Bias?


  When a psychological test/research method/theory that was developed for one culture is imposed on other groups of people. (e.g. wester IQ tests, the strange situation).
• What topics does Gender Bias have a role in?

  Memory: Case studies - Clive wearing patient, HM and patient KF (all of them are men)

  Social Influence: Case studies/research - Asch, Zimbardo, Milgram (all of them are men and only use men in research)

  Attachment: Majority of attachment assumptions and research is based on the mother staying home + caring

  Psychopathology: Fight or flight response - based on men, women have been found to 'tend and befriend'
• What topics does Culture Bias have a role in?

  Social Influence: Asch's line study sample were all white American men around the same age. Results may not reflect actions of every culture.

  Attachment: Van Vendoorm + Kroonberg's research doesn't consider attachment behaviours having different meaning to each culture (imposed etic)

  Biopsychology: Deviation from social norms - social norm vary with culture, doesn't consider that