Social Psychology: Realistic Conflict Theory (1966) and the Robber's Cave Experiment (1961) (Sherif)

What is the definition of an in-group?

A group of people with a shared interest or identity.

What is the definition of an out-group?

People who do not belong to the in-group (the opposition).

What is the definition of inter-group conflict?

Prejudice and discrimination between groups because of competition for limited resources. 

What is the definition of superordinate goals?

Requires cooperation of two groups to achieve goals, which usually results in rewards for both the groups.

What is a field experiment?

Experiments occurring in a natural real-world setting. 

What is a matched-pairs design?

Participants in the two conditions are matched based on similar characteristics e.g. gender, age, so that the two conditions are equal. 

What is Realistic Conflict Theory?

It states that intergroup conflict (i.e. conflict between in-group and out-group) occurs when two groups are in competition for limited resources.

The interpersonal competition arising leads to hostility and negative attitudes which can result in prejudice and discrimination towards the out-group.

To reduce prejudice, superordinate goals can be established, where resources can only be won if cooperation occurs. 

What is negative interdependence?

When only 1 group can reach the goal

What is zero sum situation?

If the resource is finite, only 1 group can win.

What is positive independence?

When neither group can reach its goal without helping the other one to do so too.

What was Ember and Ember (1992)? (Supporting evidence)

Ember and Ember (1992) have noted that in tribal societies, intergroup hostility increases when social or natural conditions mean that competition for resources is necessary. During periods of famine or natural disasters, warfare was more likely to ensure access for available scarce resources. Similar studies have suggested that when populations expand and land is in short supply, conflict and violence increase.

What research did Sherif before creating the Realistic Conflict Theory in 1966

The Robbers Cave Experiment (Sherif et al. 1961)

What was the aim of the Robbers Cave Experiment (Sherif et al. 1961)

A study of intergroup relations to examine the development of in-group behaviour and hostility toward the out-group.

To study if the introduction of superordinate goals can overcome prejudice between in-groups and out-groups.

Who were the participants in the Robbers Cave Experiment (Sherif et al. 1961)

22 male participants aged 11 - 12 years old, Middle-class Protestant families, boys had not previously demonstrated unusual frustration and were considered well-adjusted.

What was the methodology of the Robbers Cave Experiment (Sherif et al. 1961)

A field experiment

Where did the Robbers Cave Experiment (Sherif et al. 1961) take place?

A boy scouts camp in Robber’s Cave State Park in Oklahoma, America for 3 weeks

What was the methodology of the Robbers Cave Experiment (Sherif et al. 1961)?

Matched pairs design, boys were matched based on IQ, sporting ability, home life, and randomly allocated to ‘Rattlers’ and ‘Eagles’

How was data collected in the Robbers Cave Experiment (Sherif et al. 1961)?

• Observation for 12 hours a day

• Sociometric analysis - friendship patterns studied

• Experiment - collecting and estimating bean collection

• Tape recording - to study language used when referring to in-group and out-group

What are the three stages of Realistic Conflict Theory (Sherif, 1966)?

Stage 1: In-Group Formation

Stage 2: Inter-Group Friction

Stage 3: Inter-Group Integration

How were the three stages of Realistic Conflict Theory (Sherif, 1966) demonstrated in the Robber’s Cave Experiment (Sherif et al, 1961)?

Stage 1: In-Group Formation

Boys randomly allocated into 2 equal groups at Robber’s Cave State Park Oklahoma

Boys named their groups ‘Rattlers’ and ‘Eagles’ and assigned a group leader

Stage 2: Inter-Group Friction

Out-group Hostility

Competition during tournaments, collecting beans experiment, tug of war, raiding each other’s cabins

Stage 3: Inter-Group Integration

Superordinate goals: goals which can only be attained by cooperation between the 2 groups for resources.

• Restore water supply

• Work together for food and sleeping gear

• Restarting the broken camp bus

What were the results of the Robber’s Cave Experiment (Sherif et al, 1961)?

Quantitative Results: 93% of friends in own group at stage one, by the end of stage 3, 30% of friendships in out-group.

Qualitative Results: 'sneaks, smart alecs, stinkers' to 'brave tough, friendly'

What was the conclusion of the Robber’s Cave Experiment (Sherif et al, 1961)?

Competition for limited resources is required for prejudice and discrimination to occur.

Contact is not sufficient for groups to reduce hostility; co-operation in the form of working together towards superordinate goals is required to overcome out-group hostility.

What is the Supporting evidence for Realistic Conflict Theory?

RCT is supported by the Robber's Cave study which showed competition between in- and out-groups is required. And contact alone is not sufficient for groups to reduce hostility; co-operation in the form of working together towards superordinate goals is required to overcome out-group hostility.

What is the Credibility for Realistic Conflict Theory?

Sherif has carried out empirical research to support

RCT: the Robber's Cave field experiment used quantitative objective measures like sociometric tests to show the % change in boys' friendship patterns.

Quantitative Results: 93% of friends in own group at stage one, by the end of stage 3, 30% of friendships in out-group.

This is both falsifiable and scientific.

What are the Other Explanations for Realistic Conflict Theory?

Social Identity Theory (Tajfel and Turner) is an alternative explanation which does not include competition between the in-group and out-group.

What are the Debates for Realistic Conflict Theory?

Ethics: RCT has wider ethical implications as the theory could be manipulated and used by governing bodies and organisations to try and create in groups and out groups in society to create prejudice and discrimination as form of social control.

Reductionism: RCT could be considered a reductionist explanation which ignores biological factors like brain structure or genetic causes of hostile and prejudice behaviours against out groups.

What is the Application for Realistic Conflict Theory?

This theory can be applied to a range of real-life scenarios to explain the development of prejudice and discrimination. For example, competitive football games where hooliganism occurs. People may behave in a hostile and aggressive manner towards the challenging teams because of competition for the limited resource of the trophy.