Lesson 04 by Virtual University PSY-512.ppt

PSY-512

1. RecapRecap
•Biological versus Psychosocial Approaches to Biological versus Psychosocial Approaches to
Gender Gender
•Gender Issues and earlier theoretical Gender Issues and earlier theoretical
perspectives perspectives
•Emergence of psychology of women and Emergence of psychology of women and
gender gender

2. Gender- related ResearchGender- related Research

Research focusing upon:Research focusing upon:
a)a)The socio-psychological, economic, biological, The socio-psychological, economic, biological,
and cultural-societal impact of gender and cultural-societal impact of gender
stratification and gender roles.stratification and gender roles.
b)b)It also explores the various aspects of gender It also explores the various aspects of gender
relations and gender differences. relations and gender differences.
Gender research covers all sorts of issues Gender research covers all sorts of issues
pertaining to gender, especially the social and pertaining to gender, especially the social and
psychological life of women.psychological life of women.

3. Feminist ResearchFeminist Research
Research exploring the social, psychological , Research exploring the social, psychological ,
economic, biological, and cultural-societal aspects of economic, biological, and cultural-societal aspects of
women’s life.women’s life.
•The focus of research is the status and condition of The focus of research is the status and condition of
women in the society. women in the society.
•The basic premise of gender research is the idea The basic premise of gender research is the idea
that women generally experience subordination. that women generally experience subordination.
The objective of feminist research is to identify The objective of feminist research is to identify
female’s problems so that resolutions can be found.female’s problems so that resolutions can be found.
•The ultimate goal is the improvement in the The ultimate goal is the improvement in the
condition and status of women in any given society.condition and status of women in any given society.

4. Feminist ResearchFeminist Research

5. Research Methods For Studying Research Methods For Studying
Gender IssuesGender Issues

6. Threats to Gender–related Threats to Gender–related
ResearchResearch
•Margrit Eichler (1988) identified threats to sound Margrit Eichler (1988) identified threats to sound
research pertaining to gender:research pertaining to gender:
i. Androcentricityi. Androcentricity
ii. Over generalizingii. Over generalizing
iii. Gender blindness iii. Gender blindness
iv. Double standardsiv. Double standards
v. Interferencev. Interference

7. AndrocentricityAndrocentricity
•Most gender research, especially the initial one, Most gender research, especially the initial one,
had been andocentric i.e., looking at issues from had been andocentric i.e., looking at issues from
the male perspective.the male perspective.
•For example: for many years the researchers For example: for many years the researchers
studying occupations concentrated upon men’s studying occupations concentrated upon men’s
formal work and ignored female’s domestic formal work and ignored female’s domestic
work and childcare. work and childcare.

8. OvergeneralizationOvergeneralization
•In this type of bias the researchers take data In this type of bias the researchers take data
from one segment of the population i.e., men, from one segment of the population i.e., men,
and generalize it to the rest of the population, and generalize it to the rest of the population,
including women. including women.
•By doing so they are trying to support By doing so they are trying to support
conclusions about both sexes. conclusions about both sexes.

9. Gender BlindnessGender Blindness
•Many researchers fail to see that gender Many researchers fail to see that gender
differences exist in almost all spheres of life.differences exist in almost all spheres of life.
•For example many studies on the life of elderly For example many studies on the life of elderly
people tended to ignore the fact that most elderly people tended to ignore the fact that most elderly
women live without husbands, whereas most women live without husbands, whereas most
elderly men live with wives. elderly men live with wives.

10. Double StandardsDouble Standards
•Researcher’s personal attitudes, thinking, and Researcher’s personal attitudes, thinking, and
prejudices lead to double standards.prejudices lead to double standards.
•When they talk about a couple, in terms of a man When they talk about a couple, in terms of a man
and women, they tend to assume that the man is and women, they tend to assume that the man is
the head of the family, runs it, and the woman the head of the family, runs it, and the woman
does only support work in the household. does only support work in the household.

11. InterferenceInterference
•At times the subject’s perception of the sex of the At times the subject’s perception of the sex of the
researcher interferes with the accurate fact finding researcher interferes with the accurate fact finding
process.process.
•Maureen Giovannini (1992) experienced this Maureen Giovannini (1992) experienced this
phenomenon while studying a small community in phenomenon while studying a small community in
Sicily.Sicily.

12. Scientific MethodologyScientific Methodology

13. Steps in Scientific Methodology Steps in Scientific Methodology

14. Identifying a research problem
Review of related literature
Formulation of a hypothesis
Designing and
conducting the research
Analysis of data
Drawing Conclusion

15. Identifying a Research Identifying a Research
Problem in Gender ResearchProblem in Gender Research
Personal interest and observation
Popular issues
Newly emerging needs/new projects
Events

Review of Related Literature

16. Feminist/
Gender
Research
Methods
Quantitative
methods
Qualitative
methods
Quantitative
methods

17. Quantitative
methods
Descriptive
methods
Experimental
methods
Ex Post Facto
Studies

18. Observation

Co relational
Research
Surveys
Unobtrusive
Methods
Case Studies
Focus groups,
Meta
analysis
Descriptive Research Methods available to
psychologists:

19. Descriptive
Research
Methods
Surveys
Co relational
studies
Observation
Descriptive methods
commonly used in Gender
Research
Content
Analysis

20. Case studies
Ethnography Focus Groups
Interviews
Qualitative Research MethodsQualitative Research Methods

21. SURVEYSSURVEYS
•Surveys are the best approach when Surveys are the best approach when quick quick
informationinformation is required from a large number of is required from a large number of
people in limited time e.g., survey of how female people in limited time e.g., survey of how female
students choose their future career path.students choose their future career path.
•In surveys the participants are presented with a In surveys the participants are presented with a
series of questionsseries of questions or statements to which they or statements to which they
have to respond. have to respond.
•Surveys are most appropriate when the goal of the Surveys are most appropriate when the goal of the
study is to find out about opinions, attitudes, study is to find out about opinions, attitudes,
prejudices, preferences, values, and lifestyles etc.prejudices, preferences, values, and lifestyles etc.

22. Data or InformationData or Information Sources in Sources in
SurveysSurveys
1. Questionnaires: given in person, mailed, or e- 1. Questionnaires: given in person, mailed, or e-
mailed.mailed.
2. Interviews; face-to-face, personal, electronic, or 2. Interviews; face-to-face, personal, electronic, or
telephonic.telephonic.
3. Newspaper or magazine surveys.3. Newspaper or magazine surveys.

23. Essentials for surveysEssentials for surveys
•Trained, skillful, experienced interviewers.Trained, skillful, experienced interviewers.
•Careful and appropriate wording.Careful and appropriate wording.

24. Limitations of surveysLimitations of surveys
•In-depth study is not possibleIn-depth study is not possible
•Surveys ask questions rather than making Surveys ask questions rather than making
direct measurement.direct measurement.
•Instead of direct observation we depend Instead of direct observation we depend
upon self-reports.upon self-reports.
•Self-reports may rely upon the respondent’s Self-reports may rely upon the respondent’s
memory.memory.

26. Co-relational ResearchCo-relational Research
•Used for identifying predictive relation-ships
among naturally occurring variables.

27. Sources of Data collection in Sources of Data collection in
co- relational Research co- relational Research
•Psychological tests: Psychological tests: I.Q, personality, aptitude tests etc.I.Q, personality, aptitude tests etc.
•Questionnaires:Questionnaires: in person, mailed or e-mailed in person, mailed or e-mailed

•Interviews:Interviews: personal, telephonic personal, telephonic
•Official Record:Official Record: statistics, archival data statistics, archival data

28. •Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r)
is the most commonly used procedure.is the most commonly used procedure.
•It yields a value ranging between +1.00 and -1.00, It yields a value ranging between +1.00 and -1.00,
showing the magnitude as well as the direction of showing the magnitude as well as the direction of
the relationship.the relationship.

29. Pearson Product Moment Pearson Product Moment
Correlation Coefficient (r).Correlation Coefficient (r).

30. Nature of Correlation
Positive Correlation
Negative Correlation
Zero Correlation
Remember! Correlation is not “causation” !!!

31. •Co-relational research does not tell us Co-relational research does not tell us
about causal relationship.about causal relationship.

32. ObservationObservation
•Systematic observation is one of the popular Systematic observation is one of the popular
research methods employed by anthropologists, research methods employed by anthropologists,
sociologists, and ethnologists.sociologists, and ethnologists.
• The procedure involves observation, study, and The procedure involves observation, study, and
careful recording of the phenomenon of interest.careful recording of the phenomenon of interest.
• The recorded observations are analyzed later on.The recorded observations are analyzed later on.
• The analysis yields conclusions.The analysis yields conclusions.

33. Types of ObservationObservation:
Observation
without
intervention
Observation
with
intervention

34. •Observation without intervention refers to Observation without intervention refers to
naturalistic observation naturalistic observation
•Observation with intervention includes:Observation with intervention includes:
1. Participant observation.1. Participant observation.
2. Structured observation.2. Structured observation.
3. Field experiments.3. Field experiments.