Psychology Essay Plans (Issues and Debates)

Universality and bias

Psychologists already posess beliefs and values which may influence research

Conclusions drawn can be applied to everyone, anywhere 

Regardless of experiences, time or culture

Gender Bias

• Alpha Bias

Exaggerates or overestimates differences between sexes

Differences presented as: Real, Enduring, Fixed, Inevitable

Differences more liekly to devalue women

Wilson- Sociobiological Theory of relationship formation

• Explains Human sexual attraction through principle of 'sexual efficiency'

Male's interest to impregnate as many women as possible

Increase chances of his genes being passed onto next generation

Female's interest to ensure healthy suvival of offspring

Best chance of preserving her genes

• Sexual promiscuity

In males is genetically determined

Females who are promiscuious are going against their 'nature'

• Beta Bias

Minimises/ ignores differences between sexes

Occurs when females not involved in research process

Assumption that findings can be generalised to both sexes

Fight or Flight response

Early research on Fight or flight response was on males

Shelley Taylor

Shifts attention: Befriending other females, Caring for offspring

Androcentrism

Understanding of research with all-male samples is 'normal'

Behaviour that deviates from this is 'abnormal'

Female behaviour misunderstood or pathologised

Brescoll and Uhlman

Male anger often seen as rational response to external pressures

• Critics suggest Pre-menstrual syndrome medicalises female emotions

Anger can be explained in terms of hormones

Femenists suggest PMS trivialises female experience