intergroup relations and conflict Flashcards
what is intergroup behaviour?
Any perception, cognition or behaviour that is influenced by peoples recognition that they and others are members of distinct social groups is intergroup behaviour
What is relative deprivation?
A sense of having less than we feel entitled to
A perceived gap between expectations or entitlements and attainments
Deprivation is not absolute but relative to other conditions
Crucial precondition for intergroup association
What is Berkowitz’s theory about relative deprivation and social unrest ?
Intergroup prejudice and discriminatory behaviour function of :
- Aversive events
- Aggressive associations (e.g situational cues, past association)
What are the 2 types of relative deprivation?
- Egoistic relative deprivation
- Fraternalistic relative deprivation
What is egoistic relative deprivation?
Feeling of having less than we feel we are entitled to
Relative to our personal aspirations or to other individuals
What is fraternalistic relative deprivation?
Sense that our group is entitled to relative to the collective aspirations of other groups
Associated with social unrest
What is Sherifs realistic conflict theory?
Where groups compete over scarce resources, intergroup relations become marked by conflict and ethnocentrism arises
What is ethnocentrism?
This is the view of things in which ones own group is at the centre of everything, and all others are scaled and rated with reference to it
Evaluative preference for all aspects of own group relative to other groups
What were the 4 phases in Sherifs summer camp studies?
- Spontaneous friendship formation
- In group and norm formation
- Intergroup competition
- Intergroup cooperation
What happened in Phase 1 in summer camp study?
Arrived at camp
Engaged in various activities, friendships formed
What happened in phase 2 of sherifs summer camp studies?
Camp divided into 2 groups, friendship split
Groups isolated, separate living quarters and daily activities, developed norms and status differences
What happened in phase 3 of Sherifs summer camp studies?
Introduction of competitive games between groups (competition and intergroup hostility)
Ethnocentric attitudes and behaviour amplified
Majority of intergroup encounters degenerated into intergroup hostility
Intergroup relations deteriorated –> two of the experiments concluded at this stage
What happened in phase 4 of sheriffs summer camp studies?
Groups provided with superordinate goals
Groups had to work together in cooperation
eg subordinate goal - everyone needed to help with broken down truck
What are the two different natures of goals?
Mutually exclusive goals between groups –> realistic intergroup conflict and ethnocentrism
Shared superordinate goals –> cooperation (reduction in conflict)
What is the definition of minimal group paradigm? (Tajfel 1971)
Experimental methodology to investigate effect of social categorisation alone on behaviour
What happened in the MGP study?
- Assigned ppts to 2 groups (arbitrary selection)
- Ppts only knew their own group membership
- Identity of recipients was unknown
- Asked to allocate money to others
How did they apply ppts to their groups in the MGP study ?
Toss of coin
- Eliminate possibility that ppts may infer that people in the same group interpersonally similar to one another because of artist preference
What is social identity theory?
Social categories provide members with a social identity = part of self concept derived from membership of social groups
Positive distinctiveness and self enhancement
What will happen to improving intergroup relations if there is superordinate goals?
May worsen relationships if failure attributed to out group
What is contact hypothesis (allport 1954)
Bringing members of opposing social groups together will improve intergroup relations and reduce prejudice and discrimination
What are Allports (1954) conditions for contact?
Should be prolonged and involve cooperative activity
Contact between people or groups of equal social status
Should occur within framework of official and institutional support for integration
