Gender Bias

• Alpha Bias


  when a theory exaggerates differences between genders
• Beta bias


  when a theory ignores differences between genders
• Androcentrism


  a perspective where male psychology and behaviours are viewed as the default
• Example of alpha bias

  Freud's psychoanalytic theory argues that women develop weaker superegos than men and suffer from 'penis envy
• Example of Beta bias

  The behavioural response to stress is typically characterised by fight or flight. However, this research was based solely on males and assumed these behavioural responses were the same across genders. However Taylor et al (2000) looked at female responses to stress and found 'tend and befriend' response.
• AO3

  • Gender bias can occur for a variety of reasons e.g. researchers may have pre-conceived gender stereotypes that affect how they treat participants, resulting in investigator effects

  
  

  • Further, publication bias could cause alpha bias: Studies that find no differences between genders may be seen as less interesting and be less likely to get published