Gender and Culture Bias

• Bias


  Researchers pre-existing beliefs influence theories and data
• Universality


  Behaviours applying to all humans
• Alpha Bias


  Assumption of significant difference of behaviour between males and females, overemphasising the difference
• Beta Bias


  Assumption of no significant difference of behaviour between males and females, underestimating difference
• Androcentrism


  Reflect and support male-centric view of the world
• Gynocentric


  Reflect and support female-centric view of the world
• Cultural Bias


  Interpreting behaviour based on cultural norms and experiences
• Ethnocentrism


  Consider own culture as superior and used as a standard
• Cultural Relativism


  Understand behaviour within context of culture
• (+) A03: Encourages Research

  Encourages more female researchers to reduce androcentrism and more indigenous psychology to reduce ethnocentrism
• (+) A03: Reflexive Approach

  Bias is reduced using the reflexive approach involving reflecting on beliefs, values and experiences, reducing the influences on research
• (-) A03: Henrich (2010)


  Findings that are universal are culture-biased as they are done on WIERD participants

  • 68% of participants from 100 studies were from US
  • 96% of participants were from Western Nations
• WEIRD Acronym


  Western, Educated, Industrialised, Rich, Democratic