Sexism

• Sexism


  The idea that one sex/gender is superior to another
• Sexism infiltrates all forms of social functioning, including in science
• In psychology, sexism can lead to male views, behaviours and opinions forming the baseline of norms of society and explanations of behaviour
• Historically, the dominant psychology view was that there are psychological differences between men and women and that they reflect biological factors
• In the history of psychology, a very distinct sampling bias is seen- participants are mostly male, leaving women to be 'invisible' in psychology
• Gray (1977) content analysis of recently published psychology textbooks implied through language that the researchers were male
• Female researchers were cited less frequently, and sample descriptions didn't describe sex of participants unless all-male
• Biased towards study of male behaviour by male psychologists
• Women seen as more likely to research 'lighter topics' than those that are important
• No evidence for 'territorial segregation'- separate spheres for men and women- women having a caring practitioner role and men understanding science role
• 76% of new psychology doctorates, 75% of early career psychologists, 53% psychology workforce are women
• However, men are more likely to hold senior positions and long-term secure posts
• Bias in psychological research- how questions are posed by research tend to overwhelmingly reflect the interests and concerns of men
• Women are more likely than men to be investigating developmental and family psychology
• Maccoby and Jacklin (1974) analysed 2,000 studies and concluded that evidence for gender difference only existed in 4 areas- visual spatial ability, verbal ability, mathematical ability and aggression
• Hyde (2005) found only significant difference in motor performance and sexuality
• Alpha bias


  An exaggeration of difference between men and women that reinforce gender stereotypes
• Beta bias


  Minimising of the differences between men and women which means aspects of women's behaviour and experiences may be ignored
• Historically, gender has been viewed in psychology as a binary concept (you are male or women) based on biological sex attributes
• Psychology fails to appreciate the richness of gender experience and identity, criticised for too readily accepting generalisations for research about gender
• Buss (1989) study on male and female preference in sexual partner assumes 'typical gendered' excludes homosexual relationships and those who don't fit the binary
• By disregarding difference, one group is devalued- beta bias
• Research must be critically evaluated in the context of views and norms of society at the point in time in which it was undertaken
• Freud's view was prevalent in the Victorian era when women were seen as second-class citizens who were unable to express their intellect
• Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation was influenced by Freud ideas and used to encourage women to remain at home for childcare so men could resume their old jobs
• Research into lesbian, bisexual, gay and transgender individuals has been affected by historical and social context, with homosexuality illegal till 1967 and until 1970 was a diagnosable mental disorder
• Marginalised and categorised as 'atypical minorities' less interest to psychologists, searching for general laws in more 'Typical' population
• Feminist psychology aims to restore imbalance in psychology
• Sexism in social behaviour and research, also in biological research, with males used in research where it was argued female hormonal variations would have an effect on behaviour
• Shelley Taylor (2011) found that women reacted with a 'tend or befriend' in high stress situations, rather than the 'fight or flight' response
• Some commonly sexist phrases are "Boys will be boys", "She's asking for it dressed like that", "My ex-girlfriend is crazy", "She's such a drama queen"