issues and debates

• gender bias is misrepresentation of men or women in psychological research due to stereotypes, findings are applied and generalised to the entire gender
• two types of gender bias are alpha and beta bias
• alpha bias exaggerates the difference between men and women, differences are presented as fixed and long lasting
• alpha bias causes theories to devalue one gender in comparison to another, women are often devalued
• beta bias ignores or minimises differences between men and women, info from studies on males are equally applied to women
• e.g. alpha bias: since 1980s schizophrenia diagnosed more in men than women. Cotton et al states women are more likely to continue working, show less distress, maintain relationships, this shows symptoms may be masked in women or not severe enough for diagnosis
• androcentrism is consequence of alpha and beta bias when all behavior is compared to "male standard" neglecting women
• consequence of androcentrism is that women behavior is taken as an illness or misunderstood
• androcentrism describes female behavior as deviation from norm, devaluing women
• beta bias e.g. research into flight or flight tested male animals and assumed it was same biological process in women. recent research shows women release oxytocin in stressful event and evolved to "tend and befriend" to increase chance of survival
• weakness is people arent aware of gender bias in psychology, study analysed over 1000 articles relating to gender bias published over 8 years ago. found gender bias research had least funding and is published by less known authors. fewer people are aware and can apply it to their work
• strength is feminist psychology aim to challenge gender bias, several degrees offer psychology of women as an option. this means more people will be aware of gender bias and attempt to reduce it.
• another weakness is that psychological research emphasises biological difference between men and women rather than social causes, reinforces that differences are inevitable as there is scientific support backing gender stereotypes . suggest social causes such as stereotyping can explain research
• example of andocentrisim


  PMS is criticised by some as being a social construct ,which makes womens emotions like anger seem insignificant, whereas male anger seen as logical response to external pressures