Latest AQA A level Psychology - Paper 3 topics Questions And Answers

Gender bias - ANS 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) - ANS 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) - ANS 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) - ANS 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 - ANS 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 Standard/norm for behaviour judged from one culture = cultural differences seen as abnormal Ethnocentrism: belief in superiority of own culture Behaviour that doesn't conform to Western model = deficient E.g. Ainsworth's strange situation (American norms/values, separation anxiety defining, secure = ideal, German mothers labelled cold/rejecting, inappropriate measure for non-US children) Cultural relativism may help reduce bias Facts/things only make sense from perspective of culture within which discovered Berry: Etic approach: looking at behaviours outside of culture and identifying universal Emic approach: looking at behaviour within culture and identifying culturally specific Imposed etic: e.g. Ainsworth studies within single culture and assumed could be applied universally