Realistic Conflict theory

Question 1

who created it and when

Answer 1

Sherif - 1966

Question 2

what does rct explain

Answer 2

how intergroup conflict can arise as a result of conflicting goals and competition over limited resources

offers an explanation for the feelings of prejudice and discrimination toward the out-group

Question 3

what kind of forces does rct suggest leads to prejudice

Answer 3

situational forces

Question 4

what causes competition between groups

Answer 4

scarce resources

or the perception that resources are scarce

Question 5

what are the types of resources that can be scarce catagorised into

Answer 5

physical

psychological

Question 6

physical resources

Answer 6

land, food or water

Question 7

psychological resources

Answer 7

status, power

Question 8

why is rct an applicable theory

Answer 8

it offers a solution to end conflict

Question 9

evolutionary perspective for rct

Answer 9

that when people are competing for survival, they want people like them to survive so their genetics and beliefs will be passed on to the next generation

• this results in prejudice toward the out-group

Question 10

main point for why people are prejudiced - rct

Answer 10

when resources are scarce, people will be more prejudiced against other groups

Question 11

what happens when one or more groups believe that competition exists

Answer 11

hostility and discriminatory behaviour follow

Question 12

zero sums fate

Answer 12

if one side gains, someone else has to lose out

Question 13

how does zero sums fate cause realistic conflict to occur

Answer 13

when people believe the out-group can only benefit at their expense

Question 14

super ordinate goal

Answer 14

a task that requires inter group cooperation

cannot be achieved by working seperately

Question 15

example of super ordinate goals in society

Answer 15

EU - formed to make future war in europe impossible

countries work towards super ordinate goals, such as trade

Question 16

how were super ordinate goals used in Sherif’s study

Answer 16

Eagles and rattlers had to work together to fix a waterpipe, eat together and choose films to watch together

hostility between groups decreased

Question 17

what was the name of Sherif’s study

Answer 17

Robbers Cave Study

Question 18

Robbers Cave study - procedure

Answer 18

assigned boys who were strangers to groups in a summer camp

introduced competition

conflict developed

introduced super ordinate goals

conflict and hostility decreased

Question 19

group hostility was apparent even before the introduction of competition - what does this suggest?

Answer 19

the mere creation of groups can cause prejudice

suggests Social Identity theory would be more adequate

Question 20

Low generalisability - robbers cave study

Answer 20

two groups of boys were artificial

not necessarily reflect real life prejudice situations - lacks mundane realism

only used 12 year old white middle class boys in america - ethnocentric - lowers credibility

Question 21

what other factors for causing prejudice besides competition would disagree with rct?

Answer 21

the authoritarian personality

socialisation within families - parents can pass their belies down to their beliefs to their children

Question 22

application - can explain prejudice and discrimination in historical events

Answer 22

Rwandan genocide - Hutus killed 800,000 tutsis - this followed economic downturn and political unrest where the two groups competed for political power