gender in psychology

• Gender universality


  the idea that there are behaviours that occur in both men and women due to the same explanation. For example, the biological explanation of schizophrenia proposes that regardless of whether you are female or male, schizophrenic symptoms can be a result of abnormal dopamine activity.
• Gender bias 


  If a theory proposes to explain both male and female behaviour but does not accurately explain one gender, it would be considered as gender bias.
• Alpha bias - meaning

  When there is a misrepresentation of behaviour in genders because gender differences are over-exaggerated.
• Alpha bias - examples

  Freud argued that girls developed a weaker superego than boys because boys experience castration anxiety when girls don't. However there is no evidence to suggest that girls have a weaker superego e.g. they are not more likely to commit crime or have reduced feelings of guilt.
• Alpha bias - how to reduce

  • Investigate - both females and males to prevent incorrect claims that one sex would have behaved differently.
  • Reinforce views - that men and women are more similar than they are different.
  • de - emphasise - biological determinism as the driving force behind behaviour.
• Beta bias - meaning

  When there is a misrepresentation in genders because gender differences are ignored or minimised. For example, beta bas could occur when a researcher who used an all male sample attempts to generalise their findings to females aswell.
• Beta bias - examples

  Research into the flight or fight response was largely based on males but applied universally. Some have argued that females tend to adopt tend or befriend whereby they are more likely to look after their children or form alliances with other women. Research into the fight or flight response therefore ignores these differences between males and females.
• Beta bias - How to reduce

  • Include both female and males in psychological research
  • If the sample consists of only one sex, make it clear in the report that the conclusions only apply to that sex.
• Adrocentrism - meaning


  When society's understanding of what constitutes 'normal' behaviour is drawn from research using all-male samples and so behaviour is judged by a male standard. This means that if females behaviour deviates from the male behaviour it is considered abnormal
• Androcentrism - examples


  Research into aggression had largely focused on all male samples. this has led to a view of aggression from a male standard. e.g. whereby aggression is seen as logical when it is in response to external events such as someone provoking you. This means that aggression in women. that is more typically in response to internal events such as menstruation has been seen as illogical.
• Androcentrism - how to reduce

  • Use more females in research
  • take a feminist approach whereby women are viewed as normal humans rather than deficient.
• What does gender bias refer to in psychological research?

  Misrepresentation of behavior in genders
• What is alpha bias in psychology?

  Over-exaggeration of gender differences
• How does alpha bias typically occur?

  Through emphasis on biological determinism
• What is beta bias in psychology?

  Ignoring or minimizing gender differences
• When does beta bias typically occur?

  When using an all-male sample to generalize
• What is androcentrism in psychological research?

  Normal behavior defined by all-male samples
• What happens if female behavior differs from the androcentric norm?

  It is considered inferior or abnormal
• one example of alpha bias in psychology is freud's proposal that girls develop weaker superegos than boys because of castration anxiety.

  This is an over-exaggeration of gender differences because there is no evidence to suggest females have a weaker superego e.g. they do not have reduced feelings of guilt and are not less law-abiding than males.

  e.g. flight or fight response failed to identify to females who are more likely to engage in the tend and befriend response.
• A limitation of gender bias is that it can result in negative implications when it comes to treating psychological disorders in women.

  For example, research developing drug therapies has typically used male animals/male participants despite the drugs later being given to both males and females. - limitation because research has found that many drugs tend to be less effective for females. females tend to experience more negative side effects and overdoses.
• however, knowledge of gender bias has resulted in positive advancements to psychological research.

  For example, a number of criteria have been recommended for researchers to follow to reduce/remove gender bias. These include incorporating more women as participants and making it clear in research reports that the conclusions only apply to the gender used in the sample. This is a strength as the use of more female participants has helped to reduce androcentrism . Similarly, making it clear that the conclusions only apply to the gender in the sample help to reduce beta bias.
• Gender bias remains an ongoing issue because of...

  Institutional sexism. this means that women are less likely to be in senior research positions. This is a limitation because it has meant that research topics have

  largely failed to investigate female-related topics/health issues such as the impact of the menopause on female psychological health. This therefore highlights the ongoing gender bias in Psychology.
• Alpha bias appears to be an ongoing issue..

  This is because research is more likely to be reported if it finds significant gender differences than if it finds no gender differences. This is a limitation because the

  over-publication of gender differences and under-publication of gender similarities means that society continues to over-exaggerate gender differences. This is despite. many now taking the position of universality whereby men and women are considered as being more similar than they are different. This again highlights the

  ongoing gender bias in Psychology.