Gender & culture bias

Explain what is meant by cultural relativism in psychology. Use one topic you have studied in psychology as part of your explanation.

What is meant by ethnocentrism in psychology?

Outline two limitations of ethnocentrism.

What is meant by androcentrism?

Suggest two ways in which psychologists could avoid gender bias in their research.

Discuss gender bias in psychological research. Refer to one topic you have studied in your answer.

Outline what is meant by cultural relativism.

Suggest two ways in which researchers might reduce cultural bias in their research.

Which two of the following are examples of ethnocentrism? Write the two correct letters in your answer book.

When a Chinese researcher:

A assumes findings from research in other countries also apply to people in China. chooses to carry out research with people from China rather than with people B from other countries. expects people from other countries to behave in the same way as people from C China.

D thinks that people from China are superior to people from other countries. treats people from China in the same way that she treats people from other E countries.

Cultural relativism, ethnocentrism, holism and universality are four concepts relevant to issues and debates in psychology.

Look at Table 1 above.

Which definition (A-E) best describes cultural relativism?

Which definition (A-E) best describes ethnocentrism?

Which definition (A-E) best describes holism?

Which definition (A-E) best describes universality?

In your answer book, list the four concepts and write the appropriate letter (A-E) next to each one. A letter may only be used once.

A psychologist asked men aged 25 to 35 years to keep a diary record of how many miles they walked in a week. The psychologist also asked each man to climb a flight of stairs, then took each man’s heart rate. For each man, the number of miles walked in the week was correlated with heart rate after climbing stairs. The findings showed a significant negative correlation. A national newspaper reported the findings under the headline ‘Everyone should walk for a healthy heart’.

Explain how the newspaper headline might be an example of beta bias.

Briefly suggest one way in which psychologists might address the problem of beta bias in their research.