classic study - sheriff

Question 1

what is the aim of sherif

Answer 1

if strangers brought together into a group with a common goalwill form a close group and if two groups with competition will show hostility

Question 2

what was the procedure of sherif

Answer 2

• 22 11 year old boys from 200
• parents paid $25 not to visit
• parent and docot consent
• oklahoma
• tape recordings and observation
• stage 1 - group bonding tasks, unaware of other group, status positions and roles in groups
• stage 2 - made aware of other group, tournament set up (base ball, tug of war), points earned
• stage 3 - superordinate goals, pool of money to watch film, fix water blockage

Question 3

what were the results of sherif

Answer 3

-stage 1 - rattlers and eagles, leader, social norms
-stage 2 - eagles refused to eat with rattlers, insults, huts raided, 93% friends in group
-stage 3 - ‘ladies first’ when watching film, eventually hositility reduced, 36.4 % out group friends

Question 4

what were the conclusions of sherif

Answer 4

• competition increases hostility
• groups have to work together to reduce hositility

Question 5

what are the strengths of sherif

Answer 5

+ controls, 300 hours observing, cause and effect conclusions
+ several data collection methods, observations and recording, increase validity
+ application, formation of 2 groups can generate prejudice, reduce by having common goal, jigsaw classroom
+ ecological validity, not aware so natural behaviour, summer camp

Question 6

what are the weaknesses of sherif

Answer 6

• cant generalise sample, 22 11 year old boys from similar backgrounds, naturally competative
• interviews suggest some boys aware of tape recording equipment , demand characteristicts
• tyerman and spencer partially replicated on scout boys and found hostility didnt emerge