Gender bias = differential treatment/representation of males and females
based on stereotypes instead of real differences
Ways that gender bias can occur:
- Male samples – research is done nearly entirely on male samples but
results are then applied to both genders
- Male behaviour as standard – if female behaviour differs from that of
males its viewed as deviating from the norm
- Biological differences emphasis – due to biological differences, if
theories are biological then other factors are forgotten so behaviours are
seen as different according to gender when they aren’t
Key terms:
Misrepresentation because….
Alpha bias = theories which exaggerate differences between males and
females. The consequence is that theories devalue one gender in comparison
to the other. Example of Alpha bias is the role of the father, its often stressed
that the father cant take on the role of primary caregiver. But Grossman
suggests this is because the fathers role is more to do with play and
stimulation rather than emotional development. But if fathers need to take on
the primary caregiver role, they can adapt to the emotional role.
Beta bias = theories which ignore or minimise sex differences (e.g. biological
differences), assuming the findings from studies can apply equally to females.
Such theories tend to ignore questions about the lives of women, or assume
that insights derived from studies of men will apply equally well to
women. Biological theories frequently use male only samples then create
general laws about all genders e.g. fight or flight response was conducted
entirely on male animals assuming female response will be the same. This has
led to research being conducted on female behaviour – Taylor proved that F or
F wasn’t a universal behaviour. Evidence suggested females evolved from
traditional response and were able to inhibit to protect their infant. This
illustrates how research that minimises gender differences result in a
misrepresentation of women’s behaviour.
Conclusion about alpha and beta bias: Both of these are concerns
for psychology because they result in genders being misrepresented.
based on stereotypes instead of real differences
Ways that gender bias can occur:
- Male samples – research is done nearly entirely on male samples but
results are then applied to both genders
- Male behaviour as standard – if female behaviour differs from that of
males its viewed as deviating from the norm
- Biological differences emphasis – due to biological differences, if
theories are biological then other factors are forgotten so behaviours are
seen as different according to gender when they aren’t
Key terms:
Misrepresentation because….
Alpha bias = theories which exaggerate differences between males and
females. The consequence is that theories devalue one gender in comparison
to the other. Example of Alpha bias is the role of the father, its often stressed
that the father cant take on the role of primary caregiver. But Grossman
suggests this is because the fathers role is more to do with play and
stimulation rather than emotional development. But if fathers need to take on
the primary caregiver role, they can adapt to the emotional role.
Beta bias = theories which ignore or minimise sex differences (e.g. biological
differences), assuming the findings from studies can apply equally to females.
Such theories tend to ignore questions about the lives of women, or assume
that insights derived from studies of men will apply equally well to
women. Biological theories frequently use male only samples then create
general laws about all genders e.g. fight or flight response was conducted
entirely on male animals assuming female response will be the same. This has
led to research being conducted on female behaviour – Taylor proved that F or
F wasn’t a universal behaviour. Evidence suggested females evolved from
traditional response and were able to inhibit to protect their infant. This
illustrates how research that minimises gender differences result in a
misrepresentation of women’s behaviour.
Conclusion about alpha and beta bias: Both of these are concerns
for psychology because they result in genders being misrepresented.
