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Issues and Debates

Gender bias in psychology can take two forms - alpha bias, which exaggerates gender differences in a way that devalues one gender, and beta bias, which ignores or minimizes gender differences. Research on gender differences, like Freud's work emphasizing gendered complexes, has been criticized for promoting alpha bias. Conducting socially sensitive research on topics like gender, race, sexuality, and addiction presents ethical issues regarding how findings could impact or be misinterpreted regarding the groups studied. However, excluding such groups from research is also problematic, and there are ways to conduct this research and take responsibility to prevent misuse or misinterpretation of findings.

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109 views10 pages

Issues and Debates

Gender bias in psychology can take two forms - alpha bias, which exaggerates gender differences in a way that devalues one gender, and beta bias, which ignores or minimizes gender differences. Research on gender differences, like Freud's work emphasizing gendered complexes, has been criticized for promoting alpha bias. Conducting socially sensitive research on topics like gender, race, sexuality, and addiction presents ethical issues regarding how findings could impact or be misinterpreted regarding the groups studied. However, excluding such groups from research is also problematic, and there are ways to conduct this research and take responsibility to prevent misuse or misinterpretation of findings.

Uploaded by

Huma
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Issues and

Debates
Gender Bias in psychology
Gender bias is a distorted view of what behaviours may be typical or atypical for
men and women.

Rachael Hare-Mustin and Jeanne Mareck suggested alpha and beta bias.

Alpha bias: there are real and permanent differences between men and women. It
exaggerates the differences and thus most theories devalue one gender in
comparison to the other. Example: Freud (Oedipus and Electra complexes)

Beta bias: theories ignore or minimise the differences


Gender Bias Evaluation
Ethical implications of Research studies & Theory A01
1) The ways in which research impacts on those who take part in it & the way that findings are used
2) Psychologists have a conflict between the need to gain valid accurate results & preserving the rights
and dignity of ptts
3) BPS ethical guidelines ensure this, but do very little in terms of how the research findings are
represented
4) Socially Sensitive Research → means when there are direct/indirect implications for ptts in the R or the
class of ppl represented by the research
5) Eg. in attachment psych some research has shown that mothers are the best at responding to their
child's signals using reciprocal or interactional synchrony
6) Many psychologists suggest these type of caregiver interactions are crucial for babies to develop their
first healthy emotional relationships , which will then be mirrored to all future relationships
7) However.. This is socially sensitive because it could be interpreted in a way which should suggest that
women should not be allowed to return to work and pursue their careers after they become mothers,
because they will damage the reputation of their children
A01 pt2……..
● Sieber and Stanley have identified a number of concerns that psychologists
should bear in mind when conducting socially sensitive research.
● Implications → the wider effect of R should be considered, as some may
misinterpret it as providing ‘scientific’ evidence to a pre-existing prejudice or
discrimination view
● Eg. a sexist employer who prefers to employ men.
● Uses/public policy→ Bowlby, a big contributor to the idea that the mother is
the monotropy, was an advisor for the World Health Organisation (WHO) in
the 1950’s → which lead to the UK Gov not to offer free child care to children
under 5 (although most other EU countries did).
● This would have resulted in the majority of women from not pursuing their
careers for longer after becoming mothers
Ethical implications A03
1) Some psychologists suggest that 1 way of dealing with social sensitivity is to just avoid socially sensitive research all together
● Avoid research on homosexuality, race, gender & addiction as the findings could have -ve implications of ptts and the ppl they
represent in society.
● However others suggest that ignoring controversial topics, simply because they are controversial is also an avoidance of
responsibility.
● Therefore psychologists have a duty to conduct such research

2) Furthermore if these marginalized groups in society are excluded from psych research

The disabled/elderly/minority groups then the samples are not representative and ethical issues arise, because these groups then miss
out on any of the benefits of research.

3) There are benefits of carrying out socially sensitive research in that studies of underrepresented groups and issues may in fact
promote a greater sensitivity and understanding of these

● This can help reduce prejudice and encourage acceptance


● Furthermore, there are examples of socially sensitive research benefitting society
● Eg. R into EWT showing how unreliable it can be has led to a reduction in miscarriages of justice within the legal system (accused
witnesses for being misleading) (we now need forensic evidence

4) Finally, there is no doubt that psychological research has important practical applications

● But in order to make sure data is not misused psychologists themselves should take responsibility for what happens for their
findings.

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