Gender Bias
Psychology: AQA A Level, topic 8.1.3
Gender Bias & Androcentrism
Gender bias results when one gender is treated less favourably than the other, often referred to as sexism. There are two main types of gender bias according to Rachel Hare-Mustin and Jeanne Marecek (1988).
Alpha & beta bias
- Alpha bias
- Exaggerating the differences between men & women.
- Theories assume there are real and enduring differences between men and women.
- Beta bias
- Exaggerating the similarity between men & women.
- They minimise gender differences.
- Assume all people are the same and so it is reasonable to apply theories/research to both men and women.
- Often happens when findings obtained from men are applied to women without additional validation.
Androcentrism
- Similar idea to ethnocentrism.
- Taking male thinking/behaviour as normal, regarding female thinking/behaviour as deviant, inferior, abnormal, or ‘other’ instead of just being different.