Realistic conflict theory

Question 1

Intergroup competition

Answer 1

• Competition between individuals from different groups. Often over resources

Question 2

Negative interdependence

Answer 2

• When both the groups are seeking the same goal. But only one group can attain those goals
• There is a conflict of interest, there are winner and a loser
• This can lead to groups becoming increasingly hostile towards the outgroup by also increase solidarity within the ingroup

Question 3

Limited Resources

Answer 3

• The struggle may be for scarce resources such as food or territory
• But may also be for symbolic resources such as power and prestige
• Specific physical and finite resources result in fiercest prejudice
• Such as land, housing or food. More subjective goods or when a compromise is visible leads to lower prejudice

Question 4

Positive interdependence

Answer 4

• When groups have to be reliant on each other to achieve a goal, the prejudice can decrease
• Each group is reliant on the other to be successful

Question 5

Superordinate goals

Answer 5

• Goals which can only be achieved through intergroup cooperation
• These can lead to increasingly favourable perception between the groups and decrease prejudice

Question 6

Strength of RCT

Answer 6

• A strength of RCT is that it is supported by Sherif et al study
• In stage 2 of the experiment, the researchers created intergroup competition in the form of treasure hunts, baseball and tug of war, where only one group could win and there was prizes for the winners and nothing for the losers
• This caused a negative interdependence which created prejudice between the two groups
• The findings of the study showed that when the groups went under intergroup competition they disliked one another more and preferred people in their group compared to the outer group, however when forced to do tasks with superordinate goals where the two groups had to work together, the boys started to prefer boys from the out group, showing a decrease in prejudice.

Question 7

Weakness of RCT

Answer 7

• A strength of RCT suggests that competition between groups is not necessary to create prejudice
• Tajfel’s minimal group experiment, showed that prejudice can arise from imposing the idea that someone is not like themselves
• It was seen when boys had to allocate points to the other group and the points where converted in cash
• The boys opted to maximize the difference between them and the outer group, even if it lead to a reduced final sum
• Suggesting due to the outer group no being the same as the in group, creates a sense of prejudice

Question 8

Prejudice

Answer 8

• Prejudice is a preconceived opinion of another person that is often
  based on stereotypes