Issues in debates
Gender bias:
Gender bias = differential treatment and representation of m+f, based on stereotypes and
not on real diff
Universality and bias= Apply findings from research to everyone regardless of time or
culture
Alpha bias = theories that exaggerate the difference
Beta = theory ignores sexual diff. Assumes that findings using males apply equally to
females
Androcentrism = alpha and beta bias are consequences of this. This is when theory is
male-centered and behaviour is seen as normal, females are seen as abnormal in
comparison
Eval:
- Issues with biological research = gender differences often presented as fixed (such as
alpha bias) when they are not. It was found in brain scans that there are no sex
differences in brain structure. This shows that we should be wary of accepting
research findings as biological facts when they might be explained better as social
stereotypes.
- However – this doesn’t mean should avoid studying gender differences such as
studies showing women having more connections from LH to RH, therefore women
being better at multitasking. This suggests that there may be bio differences but we
should still be wary not to exaggerate the effect they have on behaviour.
- Sexism in research = gender bias promotes sexism in the research process. Women
remain underrepresented in university departments, particularly in science. More
women are undergraduates in psychology but more lecturers and participants in
studies are likely to be male. This means that the institutional structures and
methods of psychology may produce gender-biased findings.
- Gender bias research was found to be funded and published less than any other
bias-related research, this suggests that gender bias isn’t taken as seriously
, Culture bias
Universality and bias in research– mainstream psychology has ignored culture as an
important influence on behaviour. Studies mostly in western cultures assumed to apply for
all
- Review of hundreds of studies = 70% participants from US, 96% from industrialised
nations.
- Another review found 80% of participants were undergraduates studying psychology
- Suggests what we know about human behaviour has strong cultural bias
- If the norm for particular behaviour is judged from standpoint of a particular culture,
any differences in behaviour will be seen as abnormal or unusual = culture bias
Ethnocentrism = belief of superiority of one’s own culture. In research views that any
behaviour not conform to western are undeveloped
- Example = strange situation as only reflects norms of western culture in attachment
type. Showing the ‘ideal’ attachment type was babies showing moderate distress
when left alone (secure).
- Japan babies seen as insecure as show considerable distress on separation (not
moderate). This is due to different child rearing style.
Cultural relativism = view that beh only understood if cultural context is taken into
consideration, opposite ethnocentrism where beh is judged from one’s own cultural
perspective. Berry drew distinction between etic and emic approaches in study of human
behaviour
Imposed Etic = Study of one’s own culture, method believed to be applicable to the
rest of the world such as Ainsworth ST
Emic = within or inside certain cultures, identifies behaviours specific to that culture
Berry says psychology guilty of etic approach – believing that all behaviour in studies apply
to all
Evaluations:
- limitation is most influential studies are culturally biased, such as Asch and Milgram
only American males. Replications in other cultures produced different results
(collectivist vs individualist). Therefore understanding of topics such as social
influence should only be applied to individualist cultures
- However, found in comparison of 15 studies that 14 comparing US and Japan found
no evidence of individualism or collectivism – may be result of media and
globalisation
- Cultural bias led to prejudice. An example of this could be seen in SZ where
diagnostics from western cultures used in other cultures where symptoms were
‘norm’ to them
- Relativism vs universality = benefit of cross culture research is it may challenge
individualist way of thinking, that some concepts aren’t hardwired. However
Gender bias:
Gender bias = differential treatment and representation of m+f, based on stereotypes and
not on real diff
Universality and bias= Apply findings from research to everyone regardless of time or
culture
Alpha bias = theories that exaggerate the difference
Beta = theory ignores sexual diff. Assumes that findings using males apply equally to
females
Androcentrism = alpha and beta bias are consequences of this. This is when theory is
male-centered and behaviour is seen as normal, females are seen as abnormal in
comparison
Eval:
- Issues with biological research = gender differences often presented as fixed (such as
alpha bias) when they are not. It was found in brain scans that there are no sex
differences in brain structure. This shows that we should be wary of accepting
research findings as biological facts when they might be explained better as social
stereotypes.
- However – this doesn’t mean should avoid studying gender differences such as
studies showing women having more connections from LH to RH, therefore women
being better at multitasking. This suggests that there may be bio differences but we
should still be wary not to exaggerate the effect they have on behaviour.
- Sexism in research = gender bias promotes sexism in the research process. Women
remain underrepresented in university departments, particularly in science. More
women are undergraduates in psychology but more lecturers and participants in
studies are likely to be male. This means that the institutional structures and
methods of psychology may produce gender-biased findings.
- Gender bias research was found to be funded and published less than any other
bias-related research, this suggests that gender bias isn’t taken as seriously
, Culture bias
Universality and bias in research– mainstream psychology has ignored culture as an
important influence on behaviour. Studies mostly in western cultures assumed to apply for
all
- Review of hundreds of studies = 70% participants from US, 96% from industrialised
nations.
- Another review found 80% of participants were undergraduates studying psychology
- Suggests what we know about human behaviour has strong cultural bias
- If the norm for particular behaviour is judged from standpoint of a particular culture,
any differences in behaviour will be seen as abnormal or unusual = culture bias
Ethnocentrism = belief of superiority of one’s own culture. In research views that any
behaviour not conform to western are undeveloped
- Example = strange situation as only reflects norms of western culture in attachment
type. Showing the ‘ideal’ attachment type was babies showing moderate distress
when left alone (secure).
- Japan babies seen as insecure as show considerable distress on separation (not
moderate). This is due to different child rearing style.
Cultural relativism = view that beh only understood if cultural context is taken into
consideration, opposite ethnocentrism where beh is judged from one’s own cultural
perspective. Berry drew distinction between etic and emic approaches in study of human
behaviour
Imposed Etic = Study of one’s own culture, method believed to be applicable to the
rest of the world such as Ainsworth ST
Emic = within or inside certain cultures, identifies behaviours specific to that culture
Berry says psychology guilty of etic approach – believing that all behaviour in studies apply
to all
Evaluations:
- limitation is most influential studies are culturally biased, such as Asch and Milgram
only American males. Replications in other cultures produced different results
(collectivist vs individualist). Therefore understanding of topics such as social
influence should only be applied to individualist cultures
- However, found in comparison of 15 studies that 14 comparing US and Japan found
no evidence of individualism or collectivism – may be result of media and
globalisation
- Cultural bias led to prejudice. An example of this could be seen in SZ where
diagnostics from western cultures used in other cultures where symptoms were
‘norm’ to them
- Relativism vs universality = benefit of cross culture research is it may challenge
individualist way of thinking, that some concepts aren’t hardwired. However
