Gender bias

• Alpha bias


  When a theory or study exaggerates the differences between males and females
• Beta bias


  When a theory or study minimises the real differences between males and females
• Beta bias often occurs when females are not part of the research process then assumed that findings apply equally to both sexes</b>
• Consequently, our understanding of human behaviour derives from an all-male sample then behaviour which deviates is judged an inferior or abnormal (androcentrism)
• The fight or flight response is assumed to be universal, although the original research was only carried out on male animals
• More recent research suggests that females react differently to stress and are more likely to tend and befriend (form networks with other females)
• Gender bias in psychological research

  May provide scientific justification to discriminate against one sex, for example, deny women opportunities in the work place
• An overemphasis on evolutionary roles with the male as the provider and female as the homemaker may be over generalised to the characteristics demonstrated in various occupational roles, such as, males as leaders due to their assertive characteristics
• Gender bias can have damaging consequences which affect the lives and prospects of women, for instance, they are twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression than men
• Gender bias can also work against males as well as females, as sometimes alpha bias theories heighten the value of women
• Women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression and given treatment than males, which may be because women are more likely to suffer from depression, or it could be that the diagnostic system may be biased towards finding depression among women
• The expectation that males should be able to 'pull themselves together' is viewed as a masculine trait which may highlight an issue of gender bias within the diagnostic systems
• Gender bias promotes sexism in the research process, as women remain unrepresented within university departments, particularly within science
• Although psychologist's undergraduate intake is mainly of women, lecturers in psychology departments are more likely to be men, which means that research is more likely to be conducted and published by men which may disadvantage women
• The use of a lab experiment could also disadvantage females as they could be placed in an unequal relationship with a male researcher who has the power to label them unreasonable, irrational and unable to complete complex tasks
• Feminist suggestions to overcome gender bias

  • Women should be studied within meaningful real-life contexts using qualitative methods rather than in lab
  • We should study differences within groups of women, rather than differences between men and women
• Research challenging gender biases may not be published, as it is funded less and published by less prestigious journals, consequently, fewer scholars become aware of it or apply it to their own work
• This suggests that gender bias may not be taken seriously within psychology
• Contemporary psychologists have looked for many ways to reduce gender bias, for example, by developing theories that emphasise the importance or value of women
• This type of research helps to reduce or challenge gender stereotypes which is important in reducing gender bias