prejudice: realistic conflict theory

Question 1

who composed the realistic conflict theory?

Answer 1

• sherif 1966

Question 2

how does sherif explain prejudice?

Answer 2

• he explains it as arising from conflict between groups
• this may be caused by a conflict of interest or competition for resources, dominance, land

Question 3

what does the realistic conflict theory state?

Answer 3

• whenever there are two or more groups that are seeking the same limited sources, this will lead to conflict, negative stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination between the groups
• it says that hostility between the groups is a result of direct comparison for limited and valued resources

Question 4

how did sherif use RCT?

Answer 4

• he conducted a series of boys’ summer camp experiments - Robber’s Cave Experiment which formed basis of realistic conflict theory.

Question 5

what did he find from the robber’s cave experiment?

Answer 5

• he found that if he introduced competition between the boys at summer camp e.g a tournament for prizes such as a penknife, intergroup conflict was created.

Question 6

strengths: supporting

Answer 6

• sherif’s Robbers Cave Experiment 1961: supports rct as the boys became particularly hostile to each other during the tournament when they competed for prizes. this study is important evidence as it gives ecologically valid support
• ember 1992: a social anthropologist. observers that in tribal society intergroup hostility increases when social or natural conditions mean that competition for these resources are necessary. during periods of famine or natural disasters, warfare was more likely to ensure access to available scarce resources

Question 7

weakness: other things

Answer 7

• in real life situations, such as Shiites-Sunni, it is rare that there is only conflict over one clear resource.
• often there is more to it, such as religious beliefs/differences.

Question 8

weakness: different theories

Answer 8

• a different explanation for prejudice: social identity theory by tajfel and turner who state that the mere formation of groups causes prejudice.
• people naturally want to see their in-group as better and therefore automatically compare their in-group to raise their self-esteem.

Question 9

strength: application

Answer 9

• when refugees arrive in a new country they can be met by prejudice from the indigenous population because they are viewed as competitors for limited resources such as jobs, housing, schooling, resulting in extreme in-group favouritism and marked hostility members of the out-group