Describe and evaluate the role of gender bias in psychology.
Gender Bias Sociobiological Theory Beta Bias Androcentrism
● Psychologists seek ● Wilson: sexual attraction ‘survival ● Fight or flight: early research ● If ‘normal behaviour = from all ♂
universality, bias efficiency’ - male’s interest to bang as exclusively on ♂, as ♀ hormones responses, any other behaviour
inevitable. SMSC context many ♀ as possible, genes spread ● F&F assumed being universal deviating from standard seen as
influences psychologists ● ♀ best chance of preserving genes response to threat inferior. Leads to female
objective research, are ensuring survival of offspring ● Taylor said ♀ biology evolved to behaviour being pathologised
consistent across time & ● Promiscuity naturally selected & inhibit F&F, shifting attention to ● Feminist psychologists object to
culture - universality. genetically determined, although ♀ tending to offspring & befriend category of PMS, by medicalising
● Gender bias: inaccurate going on same behaviour is against female defense networks female emotions eg anger, by
representation of ♂ & ♀ nature - exaggerates differences ● Female have tend & befriend explaining it in hormonal terms.
● Alpha bias: exaggerate ● Beta bias: underestimating difference response governed by hormone ● However, male anger is seen as
diff & fixed, devalues ♀ between ♂&♀ assume findings apply oxytocin rational response. Androcentric
Issues with Gender Bias Reflexivity Feminist Psychologists Essentialist Arguments
● Creates misleading ● Researchers recognise effect of ● Worrell says researchers use ● Gender diff explained on
assumptions about ♀ values of their work (reflexivity) criteria to avoid gender bias. essentialist perspective -
behaviour & validates ● Embrace bias as important aspect, vs ● ♀ studied in meaningful IRL differences are inevitable & fixed
discrimination against ♀ being issue threatening objectivity context, & genuinely participate in in nature.
● Scientific justification to ● In accountancy firms, Dambrin did research, vs being object studied ● Scientific research in 1930s said
deny ♀ opportunities in reflection of how gender related ● Diversity in groups of women attending uni shrivelled ♀ ovaries
workplace or society, PMS experiences influence understanding studied, vs being men & women & harmed chances of babies
● Has damaging of events. Reflexivity important ● Emphasis on collaboration, ● Politically motivated arguments
consequences affecting development, greater awareness of collecting qualitative data seen as ‘facts’, create double
lives of real women. personal bias in future research ● Less sex bias than lab research standard between men & women
Promotes Sexism Real World Application Example Biological Approach
● Lack of ♀ as researchers ● Recognising gender bias has lead to ● Freud’s 1905 case study on ● Uses flight or fight response to
means ♀ concerns not developments in education, where psychosexual development states address beta bias, stating women
reflected in research boys are pushed to perform better in girls do not identify as strongly are more likely to have a ‘befriend
● ♂ researchers more likely younger years, where a gap starts to with their mothers, and therefore and tend’ response.
to be published. ♀ Ps in emerge. have a weaker superego ● Female biology has shifted to
lab in inequitable relations ● Addresses need for equality in ● Suggests they are less moral inhibit the response, governed by
w male researcher w education. the hormone oxytocin.
power to label as irrational
● Support instit sexism
Discuss cultural bias in psychology.
Gender Bias Sociobiological Theory Beta Bias Androcentrism
● Psychologists seek ● Wilson: sexual attraction ‘survival ● Fight or flight: early research ● If ‘normal behaviour = from all ♂
universality, bias efficiency’ - male’s interest to bang as exclusively on ♂, as ♀ hormones responses, any other behaviour
inevitable. SMSC context many ♀ as possible, genes spread ● F&F assumed being universal deviating from standard seen as
influences psychologists ● ♀ best chance of preserving genes response to threat inferior. Leads to female
objective research, are ensuring survival of offspring ● Taylor said ♀ biology evolved to behaviour being pathologised
consistent across time & ● Promiscuity naturally selected & inhibit F&F, shifting attention to ● Feminist psychologists object to
culture - universality. genetically determined, although ♀ tending to offspring & befriend category of PMS, by medicalising
● Gender bias: inaccurate going on same behaviour is against female defense networks female emotions eg anger, by
representation of ♂ & ♀ nature - exaggerates differences ● Female have tend & befriend explaining it in hormonal terms.
● Alpha bias: exaggerate ● Beta bias: underestimating difference response governed by hormone ● However, male anger is seen as
diff & fixed, devalues ♀ between ♂&♀ assume findings apply oxytocin rational response. Androcentric
Issues with Gender Bias Reflexivity Feminist Psychologists Essentialist Arguments
● Creates misleading ● Researchers recognise effect of ● Worrell says researchers use ● Gender diff explained on
assumptions about ♀ values of their work (reflexivity) criteria to avoid gender bias. essentialist perspective -
behaviour & validates ● Embrace bias as important aspect, vs ● ♀ studied in meaningful IRL differences are inevitable & fixed
discrimination against ♀ being issue threatening objectivity context, & genuinely participate in in nature.
● Scientific justification to ● In accountancy firms, Dambrin did research, vs being object studied ● Scientific research in 1930s said
deny ♀ opportunities in reflection of how gender related ● Diversity in groups of women attending uni shrivelled ♀ ovaries
workplace or society, PMS experiences influence understanding studied, vs being men & women & harmed chances of babies
● Has damaging of events. Reflexivity important ● Emphasis on collaboration, ● Politically motivated arguments
consequences affecting development, greater awareness of collecting qualitative data seen as ‘facts’, create double
lives of real women. personal bias in future research ● Less sex bias than lab research standard between men & women
Promotes Sexism Real World Application Example Biological Approach
● Lack of ♀ as researchers ● Recognising gender bias has lead to ● Freud’s 1905 case study on ● Uses flight or fight response to
means ♀ concerns not developments in education, where psychosexual development states address beta bias, stating women
reflected in research boys are pushed to perform better in girls do not identify as strongly are more likely to have a ‘befriend
● ♂ researchers more likely younger years, where a gap starts to with their mothers, and therefore and tend’ response.
to be published. ♀ Ps in emerge. have a weaker superego ● Female biology has shifted to
lab in inequitable relations ● Addresses need for equality in ● Suggests they are less moral inhibit the response, governed by
w male researcher w education. the hormone oxytocin.
power to label as irrational
● Support instit sexism
Discuss cultural bias in psychology.
