Discuss gender bias (alpha bias, beta bias and androcentrism) in psychological research?

The first 200 words of this essay...

Discuss gender bias (alpha bias, beta bias and androcentrism) in psychological research? 30 marks

One of the main criticisms that have been levelled against psychology is that it does not produce objective, value-free science. The assumption here, of course, is that an absolute 'truth' actually exists and that psychologists should be pursuing it with vigour. The natural scientists such as biologists and chemists firmly believe in this positivist stance that an absolute truth exists and denial of this must weaken any science and scientist that ignores it. The importance of this question is central to the nature of bias in research because if a value-free science can be achieved, then, psychology should be able to embrace this and eradicate bias.

However, the very real possibility that there is no such thing as a totally value-free knowledge (i.e. one without prejudice or personal bias) means that gender bias as well as cultural and other biases will be impossible to remove, which is not to say that psychologists condone such practice, only the realisation that value-free knowledge represents a 'holy grail'.

Psychology before the 1970s was riddled with gender biases. Early male psychologists such as Stanley Hall claimed that