Issues and Debates 16 markers
Discuss gender bias in psychology
A01 – bias, views distorted in some way, mistreatment of male and
females based on stereotypes and not real differences. Differential
treatments.
A01 – androcentrism, being centred or dominated by men, male
viewpoint. This can be conscious or unconscious. In the past most
psychologists were male and the theories they produced tend to
represent a male view of the world. Two types, alpha and beta.
A01 – alpha, exaggerates differences between male and females, e.g.,
psychanalytic girl do not suffer same oedipal complex. Evolutionary also,
males stronger why men are dominant for survival. Beta, ignored or
minimise sex differences, assume males’ findings can apply to females.
Taylor et al, an example of differences highlighted between stress
responses male and female.
A03 – positive, alpha bias leads to theorists to assert the worth and
valuation of feminine qualities. Leads to healthy criticism of cultural
values that praise male aggression and individualism as desirable.
A03 – positive of beta, makes men and women seem like treated the
same, led to equal treatment and equal access to education, employment
etc.
A03 – negative, alpha focuses on differences between genders leads to
implications of similarities within genders, this ignores many ways they
differ and can sustain prejudices.
A03 – negative, beta, draws attention away from the differences in power
between the two, considered egalitarian but results in misrepresentation
of both genders.
A03 – consequences, Kitzinger argues not just scientific but political.
Distorted to maintain status quo of male power. Might be minimal but
used against women to maintain power.
, Discuss culture bias in psychology
A01 – ethnocentrism, the effect of one’s own cultural perspective on one’s
perceptions of another culture. Our cultural perspective in the standard by
which we measure other cultures. View our own culture as normal and others
as deviant. Eurocentrism and Afrocentrism.
A01 – alpha and beta bias, alpha is the tendency to either exaggerate
differences between cultures (individualism vs collectivism) and beta is when
we minimise differences (intelligence testing, strange situation).
A01 – cultural relativism, behaviours are relative to particular cultures. What is
normal in one culture may not be normal in another culture (lip plates, dowry).
This is included in the DSM, so clinicians are aware when making diagnoses.
Opposite of ethnocentrism
A03 – effects of culture bias, incorrect theories. Bias can produce diffs that do
not exist (IQ) which then means that scientific knowledge is incorrect. It can
cause problems in mental health when people from non-western cultures are
assessed using western criteria. This can result in misdiagnosis.
A03 – effects, prejudice, using alpha undermines the diversity of different
cultural beliefs and practises. It assumes everyone should be the same and so
anyone who deviates from what is considered the norm is wrong, exaggerating
differences beta bias and cause xenophobia.
A03 – combating culture bias, indigenous psychologies (Afrocentrism), promise
the development of psychology specific to certain cultures. Most psychology is
western then is applied to other cultures (strange situation). Ideally cultures
should have their own psychological studies/discipline. Emic approach.
A03 – combating culture, use of researcher from within a particular culture,
ensures there is a better degree of understanding of local beliefs and practises.
Buss – evolutionary explanation for mate choice, used etic approach but used
researchers from each culture studied.
A03 – use of representative samples, most participants are white, middle class,
American, male students. Population validity is low. Can we generalise findings
from such research to other cultures, it is even difficult to apply the various
people within our own culture.
2
Discuss gender bias in psychology
A01 – bias, views distorted in some way, mistreatment of male and
females based on stereotypes and not real differences. Differential
treatments.
A01 – androcentrism, being centred or dominated by men, male
viewpoint. This can be conscious or unconscious. In the past most
psychologists were male and the theories they produced tend to
represent a male view of the world. Two types, alpha and beta.
A01 – alpha, exaggerates differences between male and females, e.g.,
psychanalytic girl do not suffer same oedipal complex. Evolutionary also,
males stronger why men are dominant for survival. Beta, ignored or
minimise sex differences, assume males’ findings can apply to females.
Taylor et al, an example of differences highlighted between stress
responses male and female.
A03 – positive, alpha bias leads to theorists to assert the worth and
valuation of feminine qualities. Leads to healthy criticism of cultural
values that praise male aggression and individualism as desirable.
A03 – positive of beta, makes men and women seem like treated the
same, led to equal treatment and equal access to education, employment
etc.
A03 – negative, alpha focuses on differences between genders leads to
implications of similarities within genders, this ignores many ways they
differ and can sustain prejudices.
A03 – negative, beta, draws attention away from the differences in power
between the two, considered egalitarian but results in misrepresentation
of both genders.
A03 – consequences, Kitzinger argues not just scientific but political.
Distorted to maintain status quo of male power. Might be minimal but
used against women to maintain power.
, Discuss culture bias in psychology
A01 – ethnocentrism, the effect of one’s own cultural perspective on one’s
perceptions of another culture. Our cultural perspective in the standard by
which we measure other cultures. View our own culture as normal and others
as deviant. Eurocentrism and Afrocentrism.
A01 – alpha and beta bias, alpha is the tendency to either exaggerate
differences between cultures (individualism vs collectivism) and beta is when
we minimise differences (intelligence testing, strange situation).
A01 – cultural relativism, behaviours are relative to particular cultures. What is
normal in one culture may not be normal in another culture (lip plates, dowry).
This is included in the DSM, so clinicians are aware when making diagnoses.
Opposite of ethnocentrism
A03 – effects of culture bias, incorrect theories. Bias can produce diffs that do
not exist (IQ) which then means that scientific knowledge is incorrect. It can
cause problems in mental health when people from non-western cultures are
assessed using western criteria. This can result in misdiagnosis.
A03 – effects, prejudice, using alpha undermines the diversity of different
cultural beliefs and practises. It assumes everyone should be the same and so
anyone who deviates from what is considered the norm is wrong, exaggerating
differences beta bias and cause xenophobia.
A03 – combating culture bias, indigenous psychologies (Afrocentrism), promise
the development of psychology specific to certain cultures. Most psychology is
western then is applied to other cultures (strange situation). Ideally cultures
should have their own psychological studies/discipline. Emic approach.
A03 – combating culture, use of researcher from within a particular culture,
ensures there is a better degree of understanding of local beliefs and practises.
Buss – evolutionary explanation for mate choice, used etic approach but used
researchers from each culture studied.
A03 – use of representative samples, most participants are white, middle class,
American, male students. Population validity is low. Can we generalise findings
from such research to other cultures, it is even difficult to apply the various
people within our own culture.
2
