Sex Differences in Antisocial Behavior: Does Research Methodology Produce or Abolish Them?

Abstract

The literature on sex differences in antisocial behavior is classified into two categories: those studies which demonstrate boys to be more antisocial and those which show no difference. It is pointed out that both a failure experience and the presence of an adult during the dependent measure are conducive to the first type of outcome, whereas success or no-failure experiences and the absence of an adult are conducive to the second type. These elements of the experiments may play a greater role in producing or abolishing sex-differential behavior than do sex differences in personality that are alleged to be pervasive or even innate; a mechanism for that is explicated.

Science free of sexism: A psychologist's guide to the conduct of nonsexist research.

“…To some extent, there is an awareness of the influence of ideological biases and of schools of thought within psychology and within the field of statistics. The apparent persistence of sex bias in psychological research (Caplan, 1975;Favreau, 1977, Note 2;Kimball, 1981;Pyke, 1982;Stark-Adamec, 1981;Stark-Adamec & Adamec, 1982;Weyant, 1979;Wine, Moses, & Smye, 1980), however, would lead one to suspect that this particular source of ideological bias is not one which is adequately covered in research training or continuing education programmes.…”

Developing a feminist psychology of women: Past and future accomplishments.

“…Much work has been done that specifically attempts to draw attention to as well as eliminate sexist bias within psychology. This work includes the development of guidelines for non-sexist research (McHugh, Koeske, & Frieze, 1981; Stark-Adamec & Kimball, 1984), critiques of research that excludes or misrepresents women (Caplan 1975; Eagley, 1978; Frodi, Macaulay, & Thorne, 1977; Kimball, 1981; Shields, 1975a), and methodological critiques (Favreau, 1977, Favreau, 1982; Hyde, 1981, Hyde, 1984) that are essential to building a feminist psychology of women.…”