Types of bias

• Gender bias is a preference towards one gender. It can either exaggerate or minimise differences between males and females
• Alpha bias:

  • Differences between male and female is exaggerated
  • Type of bias undervalue one sex
  • Differences in biology
• Beta bias:

  • Difference between male and female is ignored or minimised
  • Studies on one gender applied to whole population
• Research can be androcentric or estrocentric
• Androcentrism

  • Males viewed as centre of culture
  • Male behaviour is the norm, women are the exceptions
• Estrocentrism

  • Female seen as the norm
  • Rarer phenomenon