Systematic Analysis of Ideological Bias in Psychology Curriculum: A Case Study at the International University of Valencia (VIU)
Abstract
This study systematically analyzes ideological biases within the Psychology degree at the International University of Valencia (VIU). Specifically, it investigates the presence of a postmodern feminist ideological bias reflected in course content, teaching practices, and institutional representation. Using content analysis and quantitative data collection, we identify explicit and implicit endorsements of the patriarchy concept, gender imbalance among faculty and students, and curricular framing. Our results indicate substantial bias towards feminist ideology despite demographic data suggesting gender-balanced or female-majority leadership, faculty, and student enrollment. We discuss potential impacts of disseminating ideological biases on student perceptions and psychological practice.
Introduction
Ideological biases in educational curricula can profoundly shape students' understanding of social phenomena and professional attitudes (Bandura, 1986; Festinger, 1957). Psychological curricula carry heightened risks since psychology educators inherently hold significant social influence and authority (Cialdini & Goldstein, 2004). Previous research emphasizes that biases can become institutionalized through repeated references, examples, and selective framing (Jost, Nosek, & Gosling, 2008). This paper addresses whether the Psychology Degree at VIU systematically incorporates feminist ideological biases, specifically the assumption of patriarchy, within curricular and professional practices.
Methodology
Study Design
A mixed-method design combining quantitative content analysis and demographic analysis was employed to identify ideological biases systematically.
Sample
The analysis focused on official syllabi from core psychology courses at VIU for the first two years of the four-year Psychology Degree, recorded instances from classroom interactions, and institutional demographic data. Analyzing the entire four-year degree would have been impractical and too extensive; thus, the first two years were deemed sufficiently representative.
- Official course syllabi and manuals for analysis.
- Audio-recorded lectures and direct observations of classroom activities.
- Institutional demographic data (faculty, students, coordinators).
Content Analysis Procedure
Content analysis followed systematic coding procedures (Neuendorf, 2017), recording explicit mentions of ideological concepts such as patriarchy, machismo, sexism, and feminist theory. Two researchers independently coded syllabi and lecture transcripts for mentions and examples reflecting these concepts, with an inter-rater reliability (Cohen’s κ) maintained above .85.
Institutional Data Collection
Demographic information of the Psychology Degree's leadership, teaching staff, and enrolled students was collected directly from institutional reports.
Variables
- Frequency of explicit ideological references (e.g., patriarchy, sexism).
- Contextual relevance of ideological examples to course content.
- Gender composition (faculty, students, leadership).
Results
Curricular Content Analysis
The course manual for "Psychology of Social Interaction" explicitly referenced sexism as the only example of the influence of "external indicators of status" in the process of status attribution. This editorial addition was unsupported by the original sources cited by the manual itself (Crosbie, 1975; Muñoz-García, 2016; Canto, 2019).
La cuestión que surge en este punto es cómo se configura este sistema o estructura de estatus. A este respecto, Muñoz-García (2016) y Canto (2019), con base en Crosbie (1975), sintetizan los criterios o fuentes de información que son empleados por el grupo para conferir el estatus de sus miembros:
a. Las primeras impresiones que provocan los miembros producen expectativas sobre su capacidad que condicionan la concesión de estatus. b. Los indicadores externos de estatus, condicionados por las normas, la moral y los prejuicios compartidos por el grupo (p. e., la presencia de actitudes machistas condiciona que a las mujeres, por sistema, se les otorgue un menor estatus). c. La ejecución de la persona, esto es, lo que aporta para el logro de las metas grupales y de otros objetivos o pretensiones valorados por el grupo. Este criterio, conforme la interacción grupal avanza en el tiempo, va ganando protagonismo frente a los anteriores.
In the same course, when explaining "Group polarisation", the manual of the course did not offer any examples of group polarization related to sexism, but the professor added a slide with the following content:
Ejemplos División Generacional respecto al Feminismo en España: Mientras que un 51% de la población española se considera feminista, el apoyo disminuye entre los jóvenes, especialmente hombres, mostrando una notable brecha y polarización en las opiniones sobre igualdad de género.
This example was not present in the official syllabus and was added by the team of professors in charge of crafting the presentation, suggesting an organisation ideological bias. Furthermore, it is not clear how this example relates to the concept of group polarization, as it does not illustrate a shift towards more extreme positions within a group but rather highlights generational differences in attitudes towards feminism.
- In "Differential Psychology of Behavior," the professor independently introduced patriarchy as a cause of behavioral differences and stress, absent in the official syllabus.
Institutional Representation
Teaching staff
In the randomised cohort of teachers for the first two years, the teachers were predominantly female, with 17 (94.4%) being women and only one (5.6%) being a man. This is higher than the overall percentage for the first two years of the degree, where 26 (74.29%) of the teaching staff were women and 9 (25.71%) were men. Nevertheless, the teaching staff is still predominantly female.
This is consistent across all four years of the degree. In total, for all four years of the degree, the teaching staff is predominantly female. Out of the 52 teachers, 40 (76.92%) were women and 12 (23.08%) were men.
This suggests that the teaching staff is not aligned with the notion of a patriarchal system.
Leadership
Leadership roles in the Psychology Degree are predominantly female. The director is a female (100%), and among the coordinators 2 are female (66.7%) and 1 is male (33.3%).
This suggests that the leadership is not aligned with the notion of a patriarchal system, as it is predominantly female.
Students
- Student body predominantly female (79% female, 17% male, 4% other/unknown).
| Subject | Name of Teacher(s) | Sex of Teacher(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Psicología de la Personalidad | Paula Martínez López | Woman |
| Motivación y Emoción | Sonia Elisa Rodríguez Álvarez | Woman |
| Psicología Educativa | Dalila Eslaiva Pérez | Woman |
| Psicología del Trabajo y las Organizaciones | Elena Cejalvo Herraiz | Woman |
| Psicometría | Ana Hernández Dorado | Woman |
| Evaluación Psicológica | Raquel Herrero Lladó | Woman |
| Psicología Diferencial del Comportamiento | Rosa María Moret Alcázar | Women |
| Psicología de la Interacción Social | Juliana Peña Martínez | Women |
| Fundamentos de Estadística | Aida Esther Hernández Saguar | Woman |
| Psicología Social | Ana García Crespo | Woman |
| Estadística Aplicada a las Ciencias de la Conducta | Carmen Fernández Fillol | Woman |
| Bases Biológicas del Comportamiento | Diana Ribes Fortanet | Woman |
| Psicología Fisiológica | Valeria Martínez, Arrate Barrenetxea Garro | Women |
| Psicología del Aprendizaje | Javier Cabedo Peris | Man |
| Psicología de la Atención y Percepción | María José García Rubio | Woman |
| Psicología del Desarrollo. Infancia y Adolescencia | Ricel Martínez Sierra | Woman |
| Psicología de la Memoria | Camino Fernández Alcaraz | Woman |
| Psicología del Desarrollo. Edad Adulta y Vejez | María Camila Parra Ortiz | Woman |
| Gender | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 17 | 94.44% |
| Men | 1 | 5.56% |
| Total | 18 | 100.00% |
Figure n: Teaching staff in the randomised cohort of teachers in the Psychology Degree at VIU.
| Course | Code | Group | Subject name | Teacher name | Sex |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 01GPSI | A | Fundamentos de Estadística | Hernández Dorado, Ana | Woman |
| 1 | 01GPSI | B | Fundamentos de Estadística | Cejalvo Martínez, Elena | Woman |
| 1 | 01GPSI | C | Fundamentos de Estadística | Mateu Mollá, Joaquín | Man |
| 1 | 01GPSI | D | Fundamentos de Estadística | Fernández Fidell, Carmen | Woman |
| 1 | 01GPSI | E | Fundamentos de Estadística | Salom Bonafé, Rafael | Man |
| 1 | 02GPSI | A | Psicología del Aprendizaje | Martínez Serra, Ricel | Woman |
| 1 | 02GPSI | B | Psicología del Aprendizaje | Hita Yáñez, Eva María | Woman |
| 1 | 02GPSI | C | Psicología del Aprendizaje | Pernasco Lievana, Alberto | Man |
| 1 | 02GPSI | D | Psicología del Aprendizaje | Tortosa Pérez, Macarena | Woman |
| 1 | 02GPSI | E | Psicología del Aprendizaje | Hernández del Castillo, Lilia | Woman |
| 1 | 02GPSI | F | Psicología del Aprendizaje | Faul Rus, Mirela | Woman |
| 1 | 03GPSI | A | Psicología Social | García Crespo, Ana | Woman |
| 1 | 03GPSI | B | Psicología Social | Tejedor Huerta, María Asunción | Woman |
| 1 | 03GPSI | C | Psicología Social | Faul Rus, Mirela | Woman |
| 1 | 03GPSI | D | Psicología Social | Acebes Álvarez, Félix | Man |
| 1 | 03GPSI | E | Psicología Social | Acebes Álvarez, Félix | Man |
| 1 | 04GPSI | A | Psicología de la Atención y Percepción | Fernández Alcaraz, Camino | Woman |
| 1 | 04GPSI | B | Psicología de la Atención y Percepción | Subías Andreu, María José | Woman |
| 1 | 04GPSI | C | Psicología de la Atención y Percepción | Palomo González, Ana | Woman |
| 1 | 04GPSI | D | Psicología de la Atención y Percepción | Faul Rus, Mirela | Woman |
| 1 | 04GPSI | E | Psicología de la Atención y Percepción | Conejo Cifuentes, Francisco José | Man |
| 1 | 04GPSI | F | Psicología de la Atención y Percepción | Blanco Ortiz, Diego | Man |
| 1 | 05GPSI | A | Psicología del Desarrollo. Infancia y adolescencia | Martínez Serra, Ricel | Woman |
| 1 | 05GPSI | B | Psicología del Desarrollo. Infancia y adolescencia | Agustana Regalado, Miriam Elizabeth | Woman |
| 1 | 05GPSI | C | Psicología del Desarrollo. Infancia y adolescencia | Caravaca González, Nuria | Woman |
| 1 | 05GPSI | D | Psicología del Desarrollo. Infancia y adolescencia | Muñús Durán, Mónica | Woman |
| 1 | 05GPSI | E | Psicología del Desarrollo. Infancia y adolescencia | Agustana Regalado, Miriam Elizabeth | Woman |
| 1 | 05GPSI | F | Psicología del Desarrollo. Infancia y adolescencia | Caravaca González, Nuria | Woman |
| 1 | 06GPSI | A | Estadística Aplicada a las Ciencias de la Conducta | Cejalvo Martínez, Elena | Woman |
| 1 | 06GPSI | B | Estadística Aplicada a las Ciencias de la Conducta | Fernández Fidell, Carmen | Woman |
| 1 | 06GPSI | C | Estadística Aplicada a las Ciencias de la Conducta | Lozano Ruiz, Álvaro | Man |
| 1 | 06GPSI | D | Estadística Aplicada a las Ciencias de la Conducta | Paramio Leiva, Alberto | Man |
| 1 | 06GPSI | E | Estadística Aplicada a las Ciencias de la Conducta | Hernández Dorado, Ana | Woman |
| 1 | 07GPSI | A | Bases Biológicas del Comportamiento | Ribes Fortanet, Diana | Woman |
| 1 | 07GPSI | B | Bases Biológicas del Comportamiento | Barrenechea Garro, Arantxe | Woman |
| 1 | 07GPSI | C | Bases Biológicas del Comportamiento | Herrera Pérez, Salvador | Man |
| 1 | 07GPSI | D | Bases Biológicas del Comportamiento | Pérez, Joana Vanesa | Woman |
| 1 | 07GPSI | E | Bases Biológicas del Comportamiento | Fernández Fidell, Carmen | Woman |
| 1 | 08GPSI | A | Psicofisiología | Rama Galindo, Encarnación | Woman |
| 1 | 08GPSI | B | Psicofisiología | Comes Fayos, Javier | Man |
| 1 | 08GPSI | C | Psicofisiología | Pérez, Joana Vanesa | Woman |
| 1 | 08GPSI | D | Psicofisiología | Gutiérrez Menéndez, Alba | Woman |
| 1 | 09GPSI | A | Psicología de la Memoria | Comes Fayos, Javier | Man |
| 1 | 09GPSI | B | Psicología de la Memoria | Fernández Alcaraz, Camino | Woman |
| 1 | 09GPSI | C | Psicología de la Memoria | Ribes Fortanet, Diana | Woman |
| 1 | 09GPSI | D | Psicología de la Memoria | Hita Yáñez, Eva María | Woman |
| 1 | 09GPSI | E | Psicología de la Memoria | Alboreda Enguíx, Salvador | Man |
| 1 | 10GPSI | A | Psicología del Desarrollo. Edad adulta y vejez | Alhambra Rortés, Tamara | Woman |
| 1 | 10GPSI | B | Psicología del Desarrollo. Edad adulta y vejez | Argyropoulou, Vasiliki | Woman |
| 1 | 10GPSI | C | Psicología del Desarrollo. Edad adulta y vejez | Layún Fogliado, José Enrique | Man |
| 1 | 10GPSI | D | Psicología del Desarrollo. Edad adulta y vejez | Otero Eguren, Emilio | Man |
| 1 | 10GPSI | E | Psicología del Desarrollo. Edad adulta y vejez | Guille Sanzi, Javier | Man |
| 1 | 11GPSI | A | Motivación, Cognición y Emoción | Pérez, Macarena | Woman |
| 1 | 11GPSI | B | Motivación, Cognición y Emoción | García Crespo, Ana | Woman |
| 1 | 11GPSI | C | Motivación, Cognición y Emoción | Rodríguez Álvarez, Sonia | Woman |
| 1 | 12GPSI | A | Psicología Educativa | Sánchez Gómez, Sergio | Man |
| 1 | 12GPSI | B | Psicología Educativa | Acosta Pérez, Irene | Woman |
| 1 | 12GPSI | C | Psicología Educativa | Agustana Regalado, Miriam Elizabeth | Woman |
| 1 | 13GPSI | A | Psicología del Trabajo y las Organizaciones | Ribes Fortanet, Diana | Woman |
| 2 | 14GPSI | A | Psicometría | Privado Zamorano, Jesús | Man |
| 2 | 14GPSI | B | Psicometría | Márquez Baldó, Lidia | Woman |
| 2 | 15GPSI | A | Evaluación Psicológica | De la Rosa Gámiz, María Dolores | Woman |
| 2 | 15GPSI | B | Evaluación Psicológica | Agusanta Regalado, Miriam Elizabeth | Woman |
| 2 | 15GPSI | C | Evaluación Psicológica | Pendiente | Unknown |
| 2 | 16GPSI | A | Psicología Diferencial del Comportamiento | Santos González, María Cristina | Woman |
| 2 | 16GPSI | B | Psicología Diferencial del Comportamiento | Layrón Folgado, José Enrique | Man |
| 2 | 17GPSI | A | Psicología de la Interacción Social | Cejalvo Herraiz, Elena | Woman |
| 2 | 17GPSI | B | Psicología de la Interacción Social | Faus Real, Mireia | Woman |
| 2 | 18GPSI | A | Psicología de la Personalidad | Martínez López, Paula | Woman |
| 2 | 18GPSI | B | Psicología de la Personalidad | Moret Alcázar, Rosa María | Woman |
| 3 | 19GPSI | A | Psicología: Historia, Ciencia y Profesión | Tortosa Pérez, Macarena | Woman |
| 3 | 19GPSI | B | Psicología: Historia, Ciencia y Profesión | Acebes Andreu, Felix | Man |
| 3 | 20GPSI | A | Pensamiento y Lenguaje | Acebes Andreu, Felix | Man |
| 3 | 20GPSI | B | Pensamiento y Lenguaje | Blanco Ortiz, Diego | Man |
| 3 | 21GPSI | A | Psicopatología | Acosta Pérez, Irene | Woman |
| 3 | 21GPSI | B | Psicopatología | Molins Correa, Francisco José | Man |
| 3 | 22GPSI | A | Psicología Jurídica y del Testimonio | Vara Cilla, Alba | Woman |
| 3 | 22GPSI | B | Psicología Jurídica y del Testimonio | Peña Martínez, Juliana | Woman |
| 3 | 23GPSI | A | Psicología Clínica | Rasal Cantó, Paloma | Woman |
| 3 | 23GPSI | B | Psicología Clínica | Servián Franco, Fátima | Woman |
| 3 | 24GPSI | A | Psicología de la Intervención Social y Comunitaria | Gancedo Fernández, Yurena | Woman |
| 3 | 24GPSI | B | Psicología de la Intervención Social y Comunitaria | Valdivia Vasco, Rafael Alejandro | Man |
| 3 | 25GPSI | A | Psicología de la Salud | Belloch Mont, Nuria | Woman |
| 3 | 25GPSI | B | Psicología de la Salud | Blanco Ortiz, Diego | Man |
| 3 | 26GPSI | A | Intervención y tratamientos psicológicos | Iranzo Ejarque, Begoña | Woman |
| 3 | 26GPSI | B | Intervención y tratamientos psicológicos | García Álvarez, Leticia | Woman |
| 4 | 27GPSI | A | Neuropsicología Clínica | Pérez, Joana Vanesa | Woman |
| 4 | 28GPSI | A | Valoración e Intervención en Psicopatología Infantil y Juvenil | García Álvarez, Leticia | Woman |
| 4 | 29GPSI | A | Métodos y Diseños de Investigación en Psicología | Privado Zamorano, Jesús | Man |
| 4 | 31GPSI | A | Inteligencia emocional | Corral Martínez, Marta | Woman |
| 4 | 32GPSI | A | Sexualidad y Sexología Clínica | Pendiente | Unknown |
| 4 | 37GPSI | A | Psicoterapia sistémica y de pareja | Rodríguez Álvarez, Sonia | Woman |
| 4 | 38GPSI | A | Tratamientos cognitivo-conductuales | Molinari Conde, Guadalupe | Woman |
| 4 | 46GPSI | A | Psicología de las adicciones | Otero Requeijo, Miriam | Woman |
| 4 | 50GPSI | A | Peritajes en psicología forense | Vara Cilla, Alba | Woman |
| 4 | 53GPSI | A | Valoración e intervención Psicopatías | Parra Ortiz, María Camila | Woman |
| 4 | 54GPSI | A | Mediación y resolución de conflictos | Tejedor Huerta, María Asunción | Woman |
1st Course
| Gender | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 20 | 76.92% |
| Men | 6 | 23.08% |
| Total | 26 | 100.00% |
2nd Course
| Gender | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 6 | 66.67% |
| Men | 3 | 33.33% |
| Total | 9 | 100.00% |
3rd Course
| Gender | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 7 | 70.00% |
| Men | 3 | 30.00% |
| Total | 10 | 100.00% |
4th Course
| Gender | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 7 | 100.00% |
| Men | 0 | 0.00% |
| Total | 7 | 100.00% |
Total
| Gender | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 40 | 76.92% |
| Men | 12 | 23.08% |
| Total | 52 | 100.00% |
Figure n: All the teaching staff in the Psychology Degree at VIU.
| Gender | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 26 | 70.27% |
| Men | 9 | 24.32% |
| Unknown | 2 | 5.41% |
Discussion
The data reveal a significant ideological bias favoring feminist perspectives, despite demographic indicators suggesting female-dominant or gender-balanced institutional settings. This raises concerns about the potential effects of systematic ideological reinforcement, potentially skewing students' perceptions toward an unsupported vision of patriarchal dominance. Such reinforcement may impact the credibility and objectivity expected of academic psychology education.
Teachers wield substantial social influence and thus bear responsibility to present balanced, evidence-based information. Ideological biases risk not only distorting perceptions but also reducing the credibility of psychological training.
Conclusion
This systematic analysis highlights an Orwellian paradox wherein institutional reality contradicts the narrative presented within the psychology degree, emphasizing the necessity for balanced representation of ideological frameworks in academic curricula. Further research should explore how ideological biases influence psychological practice and student worldview development.
References
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Prentice-Hall.
Cialdini, R. B., & Goldstein, N. J. (2004). Social influence: Compliance and conformity. Annual Review of Psychology, 55, 591-621.
Festinger, L. (1957). A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford University Press.
Jost, J. T., Nosek, B. A., & Gosling, S. D. (2008). Ideology: Its resurgence in social, personality, and political psychology. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 3(2), 126-136.
Neuendorf, K. A. (2017). The content analysis guidebook (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications.