Group Dynamics Ch 14

Question 1

Robbers Cave Experiment

Answer 1

A field study that examined the causes and consequences of conflict between two groups of boys at Robbers Cave State Park in Oaklahoma (designed and conducted by Muzafer and Carolyn Sherif and their colleagues).

Question 2

Realistic Group Conflict Theory

Answer 2

A conceptual framework that conflict between groups stems from competition for scarce resources, including food, territory, wealth, power, natural resources, and energy.

Question 3

Discontinuity Effect

Answer 3

The markedly greater competitiveness of groups when interacting with other groups, relative to the competitiveness of individuals interacting with other individuals.

Question 4

Social Dominance Theory

Answer 4

An approach to oppression and domination assuming that conflict between groups results from dynamic tensions between hierarchically ranked groups within society (developed by Jim Sidanius. Felicia Pratto, and their Colleagues).

Question 5

Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis

Answer 5

An early motivational model that argued that individuals become more aggressive whenever their external conditions prevent them from reaching their goals.

Question 6

General Aggression Model

Answer 6

A framework for organizing biological, environmental, social, and psychological factors that influence the expression of hostile, negative behaviour, including (1) person and situational inputs; (2) cognitive, affective, and arousal states, and (3) cognitive appraisals.

Question 7

Scapegoat Theory

Answer 7

An explanation of intergroup conflict arguing that hostility caused by frustrating environmental circumstances (such as abuse by others or failure) is released by taking hostile actions against members of other social groups.

Question 8

Double-Standard Thinking

Answer 8

Judging the actions and attributes of one’s own group positively, but viewing these very same behaviours or displays negatively when the outgroup performs them.

Question 9

Linguistic Intergroup Bias

Answer 9

The tendency to describe positive ingroup and negative outgroup behaviours more abstractly, and negative inground and positive outgroup behaviours more concretely.

Question 10

Outgroup Homogeneity Bias

Answer 10

The perceptual tendency to assume that the members of other groups are very similar to each other, whereas the membership of one’s own group is more heterogeneous.

Question 11

Law of Small Numbers

Answer 11

Basing generalizations about the outgroup on observations of a small number of individuals from that group.

Question 12

Group Attribution Error

Answer 12

Mistakenly assuming that specific group members’ personal characteristics and preferences, including their beliefs, attitudes, and decisions, are similar to the preferences of the group to which they belong.

Question 13

Ultimate Attribution Error (UAE)

Answer 13

Attributing negative actions performed by members of the outgroup to dispositional qualities and positive actions to situational, fluctuating circumstances.

Question 14

Stereotypes

Answer 14

A socially shared set of cognitive generalizations (e.g., beliefs and expectations) about the qualities and characteristics of the members of a particular group or social category.

Question 15

Stereotype Content Model

Answer 15

A theory of group perception positioning that people’s stereotyped views about social groups reflect their beliefs about the warmth and competence of the stereotyped group.

Question 16

Moral Exclusion

Answer 16

A psychological process whereby opponents in a conflict come to view each other as undeserving of morally mandated rights and protections.

Question 17

Dehumanization

Answer 17

Believing that other individuals or entire groups of individuals lack the qualities thought to distinguish human beings from other animals; such dehumanization serves to rationalize the extremely negative treatment often afforded to members of other groups.

Question 18

Contact Hypothesis

Answer 18

The prediction that contact between members of different groups will reduce intergroup conflict.

Question 19

Superordinate Goals

Answer 19

A goal that can only be attained if two or more individuals or groups work together by pooling their efforts and resources.

Question 20

Extended Contact Hypothesis

Answer 20

The prediction that cross-group friendships not only increase the two friends’ acceptance of the respective outgroups but also cause other members of their groups to become more positive toward the outgroups as well.

Question 21

Decategorization

Answer 21

Reducing social categorization tendencies by minimizing the salience of group memberships and stressing the individuality of each person in the group.

Question 22

Common Ingroup Identity Model

Answer 22

An analysis of recategorization processes and conflict, predicting that intergroup conflict can be reduced by emphasizing membership in inclusive social categories and the interdependence of the individuals in the groups (developed by Samuel Gaertner, John Dovidio, and their Colleagues).

Question 23

Virtual Contact Hypothesis

Answer 23

The prediction that online contact between the members of different groups will improve relations between these groups.

Question 24

Recategorization

Answer 24

A reduction of social categorization tendencies achieved by collapsing groups in conflict into a single group or category.

Question 25

Cross-Categorization

Answer 25

A reduction of the impact of social categorization on individuals’ perceptions by making salient their memberships in two or more social groups or categories that are not related to the categories that are generating ingroup-outgroup tensions.

Question 26

Jigsaw Method

Answer 26

A team-learning technique that involves assigning topics to each student, allowing students with the same topics to study together, and the other members of their groups (developed by Elliot Aronson and his colleagues).