ISSUES AND DEBATES - AQA A LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY (PAPER 3) QUESTIONS AND CORRECT VERFIED ANSWERS

ISSUES AND DEBATES - AQA A LEVEL
PSYCHOLOGY (PAPER 3) QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT VERFIED ANSWERS
WhatA2isA2universality?A2(genderA2&A2cultureA2bias)A2-A2Ans--
TheA2ideaA2thatA2conclusionsA2drawnA2canA2beA2appliedA2toA2everyone,A2anywhere,A2rega
rdlessA2ofA2timeA2orA2culture.

WhatA2isA2bias?A2-A2Ans--
BiasA2isA2aA2tendencyA2toA2treatA2oneA2individualA2orA2groupA2inA2aA2differentA2wayA2fromA2
others

WhatA2isA2genderA2bias?A2(genderA2bias)A2-A2Ans--
PsychologicalA2researchA2orA2theoryA2thatA2offersA2aA2viewA2thatA2doesA2notA2justifiablyA2r
epresentA2theA2experienceA2andA2behaviourA2ofA2menA2orA2women.

WhatA2areA2theA2twoA2typesA2ofA2genderA2bias?A2(genderA2bias)A2-A2Ans--AlphaA2bias
BetaA2bias

WhatA2isA2alphaA2bias?A2(genderA2bias)A2-A2Ans--PsychologicalA2research/
theoriesA2thatA2exaggerateA2orA2overestimateA2theA2differenceA2betweenA2theA2sexes.

WhatA2groupA2isA2mostA2likelyA2toA2beA2affectedA2byA2alphaA2bias?
A2GiveA2anA2exampleA2ofA2aA2theoryA2thatA2doesA2so.A2(genderA2bias)A2-A2Ans--
AlphaA2biasA2isA2moreA2likelyA2toA2devalueA2womenA2inA2relationA2toA2men.A2
E.g,A2theA2sociobiologicalA2theoryA2ofA2relationshipA2formationA2(WilsonA21975).A2StatesA2t
hatA2sexualA2promiscuityA2inA2malesA2isA2geneticallyA2determinedA2whileA2femalesA2whoA2
doA2thisA2areA2goingA2againstA2theirA2nature.

WhatA2isA2betaA2bias?A2(genderA2bias)A2-A2Ans--PsychologicalA2research/
theoriesA2thatA2ignore,A2minimiseA2orA2underestimateA2differencesA2betweenA2menA2andA2
women.

WhyA2isA2psychologicalA2researchA2oftenA2betaA2biased?
A2GiveA2anA2exampleA2ofA2aA2theoryA2thatA2hasA2thisA2problem.A2(genderA2bias)A2-A2Ans--
BetaA2biasA2oftenA2occursA2whenA2femaleA2participantsA2areA2notA2includedA2asA2partA2ofA
2theA2researchA2process,A2butA2itA2isA2assumedA2thatA2theA2findingsA2applyA2toA2womenA2a
sA2wellA2asA2men.
E.g,A2theA2fightA2orA2flightA2response.A2EarlyA2researchA2wasA2basedA2exclusivelyA2onA2m
aleA2animals,A2andA2wasA2assumedA2toA2beA2aA2universalA2response.A2TaylorA2etA2al.A2(20
00)A2suggestedA2thatA2femaleA2biologyA2evolvedA2toA2inhibitA2fightA2orA2flight,A2shiftingA2att
entionA2towardsA2caringA2forA2offspringA2(tending)A2andA2formingA2defensiveA2networksA2(
befriending).

, WhatA2isA2oneA2possibleA2consequenceA2ofA2betaA2bias?A2(genderA2bias)A2-A2Ans--
Androcentrism

ExplainA2androcentrism.A2(genderA2bias)A2-A2Ans--
IfA2ourA2understandingA2ofA2'normalA2behaviour'A2isA2drawnA2fromA2researchA2withA2all-
maleA2samples,A2behaviourA2thatA2deviatesA2fromA2thisA2isA2likelyA2toA2beA2seenA2asA2'abn
ormal'A2orA2'inferior'.A2LeadsA2toA2femaleA2behaviourA2beingA2misunderstood,A2orA2evenA2p
athologised.

GiveA2anA2exampleA2ofA2androcentrism.A2-A2Ans--PMSA2-
A2criticsA2oftenA2claimA2thatA2PMSA2isA2aA2socialA2constructionA2whichA2medicalisesA2femal
eA2emotions,A2seeingA2themA2inA2hormonalA2terms

WhatA2isA2theA2essentialistA2perspectiveA2onA2gender?A2(genderA2bias)A2-A2Ans--
TheA2essentialistA2perspectiveA2onA2genderA2isA2thatA2theA2genderA2differenceA2inA2questi
onA2isA2inevitableA2andA2'fixed'A2inA2nature.

WhatA2areA2theA2implicationsA2ofA2genderA2bias?A2-A2Ans--
•A2*ItA2isA2scientificallyA2misleading*
•A2*UpholdsA2stereotypicalA2assumptions*,A2andA2mightA2provideA2aA2justificationA2toA2den
yA2womenA2opportunitiesA2whereA2menA2setA2theA2standardA2ofA2noramilty
•A2*ItA2validatesA2sexA2discrimination*A2-
A2doubleA2standardA2inA2theA2wayA2theA2sameA2behaviourA2isA2viewedA2fromA2aA2maleA2an
dA2femaleA2perspective
•A2*InstitutionalA2sexismA2createsA2biasA2inA2theoryA2andA2research*A2-
A2maleA2researchersA2areA2moreA2likelyA2toA2haveA2theirA2workA2published.A2LackA2ofA2wo
menA2appointedA2atA2seniorA2researchA2levelsA2meansA2femaleA2perspectiveA2mayA2notA2
beA2reflectedA2inA2researchA2questionsA2asked.

DefineA2cultureA2(culturalA2bias)A2-A2Ans--
TheA2learnedA2setA2ofA2behaviours,A2valuesA2andA2normsA2ofA2aA2particularA2group.

WhatA2isA2culturalA2bias?A2(culturalA2bias)A2-A2Ans--
TheA2tendencyA2toA2ignoreA2culturalA2differencesA2andA2interpretA2allA2phenomenaA2throu
ghA2theA2'lens'A2ofA2onesA2ownA2culture.

WhatA2isA2ethnocentrism?A2(culturalA2bias)A2-A2Ans--
OccursA2whenA2aA2researcherA2takesA2theA2viewsA2orA2behaviourA2ofA2theirA2ownA2culture
A2asA2'normal',A2andA2ifA2otherA2culturesA2differA2fromA2this,A2viewsA2themA2asA2abnormalA2
orA2deficient.

WhatA2isA2anglocentrism?A2(culturalA2bias)A2-A2Ans--AnglocentrismA2-
A2aA2formA2ofA2ethnocentrismA2fromA2anA2English/anglo-
AmericanA2perspective.A2ItA2isA2commonA2inA2psychologicalA2researchA2asA2manyA2psych
ologistsA2haveA2English/anglo-AmericanA2backgrounds.