Prejudice: Contemporary Study (Reicher & Haslam 2006)

Question 1

What were the aims of this study?

Answer 1

• To investigate how 2 groups with unequal status behave towards one another
• To see if a dominant group will identify strongly with each other

Question 2

Who were used in the sample?

Answer 2

• 332 applicants

- Reduced to 15 males

Question 3

Describe the sampling method.

Answer 3

Volunteers through advertisements published in the press and leaflets.

Question 4

What type of method was used?

Answer 4

Lab

Question 5

Briefly describe the procedure of this contemporary study.

Answer 5

• Ppts were screened through psychometric testing, background checks, and medical references
• They were randomly allocated to two groups compromised of 5 guards and 10 prisoners
• They were then subjected to a week in a prison environment
• Where guards were given uniform, given surveillance and superior accommodation
• Where prisoners were given uniform with a 3 digit number on, had their heads shaved and shown their rights
• Both groups were told not to commit physical violence
• Exp was observed by researchers and 5 BPS members

Question 6

What were the 4 independent variables of the experiment?

Answer 6

1) Amount of power
- Role of prison guard
2) Permeability of roles
- Movement between groups was possible then not
3) Legitimacy of roles
- Was impractical to reassign roles
4) Cognitive alternatives
- New prisoner was introduced to provide skills for collective action

Question 7

What were the 4 dependent variables of the experiment?

Answer 7

1) Social variables
- Authoritarianism and social identification
2) Organisational variables
- Compliance with roles
3) Clinical variables
- Depression, etc
4) Cortisol levels
- Saliva as an indicator of stress

Question 8

Briefly describe what changed during the 8 days.

Answer 8

Day 1/2) Group boundaries permeable
Day 3) Group boundaries impermeable
Day 5) Introduction of new prisoner
Day 6) Removal of new prisoner
Day 7) Commune established
Day 8) Commune collapses

Question 9

Briefly describe the results during the 8 days.

Answer 9

Day 1/2) Lack of social identity in both groups but guards can still manage the prisoners
Day 3) Prisoners increased social identity, guards lack social identity and experience stress from prisoners
Day 5) Prisoners unite over new prisoner’s skills - collective action
Day 6) Prisoners revert to conflict with guards who are increasingly divided and unable to manage prisoners
Day 7) Strong sense of social identity
Day 8) Dissent not policed, power vacuum creates opportunity and appetite for authoritarian leadership

Question 10

Describe the conclusion of this experiment.

Answer 10

• A shared sense of social identity allows the group to be effective due to high esteem leading to collective action
• Failing groups and failed collective action creates problems for groups that can give rise to tyranny as a solution to the failing system

Question 11

Evaluate the generalisablity using a low point.

Answer 11

P - Low
E - Small sample of only male volunteers
E - Cannot represent women and wider population and particular personality traits due to volunteers particularly interested in topic

Question 12

Evaluate the reliability using a high and low point.

Answer 12

P - High
E - Lab conditions with standardised procedure of introducing another prisoner one day and removing him the next
E - Can be easily and accurately replicated
P - Low
E - Many variables were being measured, such as permeability of roles and amount of power
E - This would make full comparisons complex and lose credibility if they do not correlate

Question 13

Are there any applications?

Answer 13

P - Yes
E - If collective action (from impermeable boundaries) fails those involved identify less with their group promoting tyranny
E - Knowledge of why tyranny occurs comes from this exp and so solutions of how to resolve it can be formed

Question 14

Evaluate the validity using a high and low point.

Answer 14

P - High
E - Lab exps have high control over EVs
E - Can establish a cause and effect in factors leading to tyranny
P - Low ecological validity
E - Fake and artificial conditions and ppts knew they were being filmed
E - Factors may influence them to behave in certain ways (DC)

Question 15

Evaluate an ethical issue using the acronym ‘PEEJ’, where J = justification.

Answer 15

P - Unethical
E - Some ppts showed signs of stress with the guards and they were being filmed
E - Impacts on their privacy and breeches protection from harm
J = Ppts gave informed consent and there were paramedics and security guards on standby to intervene and it was monitored by 5 BPS members who could terminate the study at any point