Male-biased

Male-biased describes a system, situation, research, or perspective that favors, privileges, or prioritizes males or masculine characteristics over females or feminine characteristics. This can manifest in various ways, from gendered language and stereotypes to institutional practices that benefit men. It often reflects historical power imbalances and societal norms that grant men greater authority or influence, ultimately leading to inequalities for women. The bias can be conscious or unconscious, influencing outcomes across numerous fields and experiences.

Male-biased meaning with examples

• The study on heart attack symptoms, focused primarily on male participants, and showed how the male-biased research led to underdiagnosis of women's conditions. The research failed to account for distinct physiological differences and created a health information gap. Many women experienced fatal results, as the medical community was unaware of how the condition would present in females.
• In the company's performance review process, male employees were more frequently praised for leadership qualities, while female employees were judged more on personality traits. These gender biases in evaluations influenced promotion decisions. This male-biased appraisal system demonstrated a significant disadvantage for the female employees in climbing the corporate ladder.
• The textbook's historical narrative centered on male leaders and achievements while largely overlooking the contributions of women. The male-biased history lesson left students with an incomplete picture of the past, perpetuating the idea that men's impact was more important. The exclusion of key females gave men a skewed level of power in the classroom.
• The video game's character design predominantly featured hyper-masculine, muscular male characters, and the female characters were often oversexualized, with little agency in the storyline. The game design was male-biased; it catered to a perceived male audience, and reinforced sexist stereotypes. The design did not reflect a balanced or inclusive representation.
• The algorithms used by the recruitment platform showed a preference for male applicants, resulting in fewer women being shortlisted. This male-biased software system perpetuated and reinforced an already established male-dominated culture and skewed the results. The system favored male applicants over women, which limited workplace diversity.