AQA A level Psychology - Paper 3 topics Exam Questions and Answers

AQA A level Psychology - Paper 3 topics Exam Questions and Answers Gender bias - Answer-Psychologists seek universality but bias may be inevitable (social historical contexts) Gender bias: psychological theory/research not accurately represent experience/behaviour of men + women Alpha bias: differences exaggerated, devalue women E.g. Freud = genuine psychological differences due to physiological differences Girls suffer from 'penis envy', femininity is failed masculinity Beta bias: differences minimised, needs of women ignored E.g. fight or flight research = male only sample, assumed would be applicable, Taylor et al: tend and befriend (governed by oxytocin) Androcentrism: male behaviour seen as normal, deviations seen as abnormal/inferior Female behaviour misunderstood/pathologised E.g. feminists object to PMS, medicalises female emotions by explaining in hormonal terms (Male anger often seen as rational response to external pressures) Gender bias (- in psych research) - Answer-May create misleading assumptions about female behaviour/validate discriminatory practices Scientific justification to deny opportunities (e.g. due to PMS) Damaging consequences on lives/prospects Gender bias (- promotes sexism in research process) - Answer-Lack of women at senior research level = female concerns not reflected in research questions asked Men more likely to be published Female ppts in inequitable relationship with researcher (power to label irrational/unable to complete tasks) Constitutional sexism - creates bias in theory/research Gender bias (+ feminist psychologists suggest how to avoid) - Answer-Worrell & Remer: Studied within meaningful real life contexts Participate instead of objects of study Study diversity within groups of women rather than comparisons to men Collaborative research methods (qualitative data) Preferable/less biased Cultural bias - Answer-Psych claims to unearth universal truths but may only apply to particular groups studied Wrongly assumed western findings would apply all over the world E.g. conformity (Asch) and obedience (Milgram) produced different results outside of US