Issues and Debates Poppy Stone
Issues and debates
Gender bias
Universality and bias
Psychology claims universality that conclusions drawn can be applied to everyone regardless
of time or culture
Androcentrism
If our understanding of what’s ‘normal’ is drawn from all male research- then any behaviour
deviating from this may be judged as ‘abnormal’
Leads to female behaviour being misunderstood
Alpha bias
When the differences between men and women may be exaggerated to devalue them
o For example- Freud and Oedipus complex
Beta bias
Theories have traditionally ignored or minimised sex differences. These theories often
assume that the findings from males can apply equally to females
o For example- Kohlberg’s
Cultural bias
Cultural bias- act of judging behaviour of one culture by holding them to the standards of your own
Theories developed in one culture which are then applied inappropriately to all others
Biased research methods which only use participants which are not representative of all
cultures
In 1992 64% of worlds psychologists were American
Ethnocentrism- belief in the superiority of one’s own cultural group
One’s countries norms should be applied everywhere else
Any behaviour that does not conform to model is deficient or underdeveloped
o For example- Ainsworth, based attachment types on America’s norms
Cultural relativism- Norms can only be understood within specific social and cultural context
Helps to avoid cultural bias
Etic vs Emic approach
Etic- research that studies cross-cultural differences
Emic- research that studies one culture with no cross-cultural focus
Imposed etic- assuming that findings from a study in one culture can be applied universally when
they are only actually relative to the culture in which they were studied
Ainsworth is guilty of this as she studied behaviour in America and applied the ‘ideal
attachment type’ in America, to the rest of the world
1
, Issues and Debates Poppy Stone
Ethical implications
Ethical issues are the balance between getting valid results and preserving the dignity and
rights of the participant
We have little control over how the findings are represented in the media or how the work
might impact on public policy
Socially sensitive research - Where the topic area studied can have implications for certain groups in
society
Some areas of psychology are more controversial and socially sensitive
Examining the cognitive processes of long term memory is unlikely to have far reaching
consequences for much of society
The genetic basis of criminality however might do
These ‘taboo’ areas attract a lot of attention from the media and public e.g. sexuality, race
Research-
Researcher argues that we should not shy away from these subjects
We have a social responsibility to carry it out due to the high importance of it
1. Implications
- Wider effects of research need to be considered
- Could give scientific credence to prejudice and discrimination
- This can be difficult to predict at the start
2. Uses/ public policy
- What will the research likely to be used for
- Related to idea that government may use it for political ends or to shape policies
3. Validity of research
- Past results presented as objective have been highly suspect and even fraudulent
- Need to be more up-front about their own biases and preconceptions and include
comment of the reflexive nature of their work
Free will vs Determinism
Free will- we are able to choose our behaviour and how we act
We are self-determining
Choose our thoughts and actions
Determinism- all behaviour has a cause so is predictable
Free will cannot explain behaviour
Hard determinism- sees free will as an illusion and believes that every action has a cause
o All behaviour has a cause which we can identify
o Compatible with science- uncovering the casual laws that govern our thoughts and
actions
o Assumes everything we do is dictated by internal or external forces we cannot
control
o E.g. biological/ psychodynamic approach
2
Issues and debates
Gender bias
Universality and bias
Psychology claims universality that conclusions drawn can be applied to everyone regardless
of time or culture
Androcentrism
If our understanding of what’s ‘normal’ is drawn from all male research- then any behaviour
deviating from this may be judged as ‘abnormal’
Leads to female behaviour being misunderstood
Alpha bias
When the differences between men and women may be exaggerated to devalue them
o For example- Freud and Oedipus complex
Beta bias
Theories have traditionally ignored or minimised sex differences. These theories often
assume that the findings from males can apply equally to females
o For example- Kohlberg’s
Cultural bias
Cultural bias- act of judging behaviour of one culture by holding them to the standards of your own
Theories developed in one culture which are then applied inappropriately to all others
Biased research methods which only use participants which are not representative of all
cultures
In 1992 64% of worlds psychologists were American
Ethnocentrism- belief in the superiority of one’s own cultural group
One’s countries norms should be applied everywhere else
Any behaviour that does not conform to model is deficient or underdeveloped
o For example- Ainsworth, based attachment types on America’s norms
Cultural relativism- Norms can only be understood within specific social and cultural context
Helps to avoid cultural bias
Etic vs Emic approach
Etic- research that studies cross-cultural differences
Emic- research that studies one culture with no cross-cultural focus
Imposed etic- assuming that findings from a study in one culture can be applied universally when
they are only actually relative to the culture in which they were studied
Ainsworth is guilty of this as she studied behaviour in America and applied the ‘ideal
attachment type’ in America, to the rest of the world
1
, Issues and Debates Poppy Stone
Ethical implications
Ethical issues are the balance between getting valid results and preserving the dignity and
rights of the participant
We have little control over how the findings are represented in the media or how the work
might impact on public policy
Socially sensitive research - Where the topic area studied can have implications for certain groups in
society
Some areas of psychology are more controversial and socially sensitive
Examining the cognitive processes of long term memory is unlikely to have far reaching
consequences for much of society
The genetic basis of criminality however might do
These ‘taboo’ areas attract a lot of attention from the media and public e.g. sexuality, race
Research-
Researcher argues that we should not shy away from these subjects
We have a social responsibility to carry it out due to the high importance of it
1. Implications
- Wider effects of research need to be considered
- Could give scientific credence to prejudice and discrimination
- This can be difficult to predict at the start
2. Uses/ public policy
- What will the research likely to be used for
- Related to idea that government may use it for political ends or to shape policies
3. Validity of research
- Past results presented as objective have been highly suspect and even fraudulent
- Need to be more up-front about their own biases and preconceptions and include
comment of the reflexive nature of their work
Free will vs Determinism
Free will- we are able to choose our behaviour and how we act
We are self-determining
Choose our thoughts and actions
Determinism- all behaviour has a cause so is predictable
Free will cannot explain behaviour
Hard determinism- sees free will as an illusion and believes that every action has a cause
o All behaviour has a cause which we can identify
o Compatible with science- uncovering the casual laws that govern our thoughts and
actions
o Assumes everything we do is dictated by internal or external forces we cannot
control
o E.g. biological/ psychodynamic approach
2
