Dissertation Writers: explore potential causes and effects of alpha and beta errors and their impact on research related to gender.\
Research from the past century has claimed empirical support for many different hypotheses–that men and women are fundamentally different because of biological reasons; that social influences (cultural factors) are the cause of male-female differences; and that men and women are not very psychologically different at all. Literature reviews and meta-analyses attempt to parse the truth by identifying in research alpha bias, which is the tendency to exaggerate differences, and beta bias, which is the tendency to minimize differences.
Central to an examination of alpha and beta bias related to gender is a concept called androcentrism. This term refers to the practice of placing masculinity or the male gender at the center of a worldview, thus rendering it the “norm.” Feminine or other gender perspectives become, by definition, “other.” Androcentrism may be unconsciously incorporated as the paradigm through which perceptions and judgments are made, influencing research when subtle biases of the researchers or research designs go undetected.
In this Discussion, you will explore potential causes and effects of alpha and beta errors and their impact on research related to gender.
