realistic conflict theory

Question 1

intro

Answer 1

realistic conflict theory suggests that intergoruo conflict arrises due to competing goals and competition over limited resources e.g. land, money, political power

it explains how feelings of prejudice can arise towards the outgrip

it also suggests that this conflict can be removed if work together to achieve superodinate goals

Question 2

point 1

Answer 2

strength:robbers cave study- by sherif demonstrates many features of realistic conflict theory-
involved on a summer camp dividing group f boys into ‘ rattlers’ and the ‘eagles’.
had perceived limited resources which they had to complete tasks to achieve such as counting beans, hiking, scavenger hunts- competing goals

also a zero sums fate where only one group wins and the other looses and doesn’t gain access to the limited resources also demonstated.

hositlitity arised: used ‘ us and ‘them’ language, burned each others flags and raided each others cabins

superordinate goals used to removed hostilityy competing tasks such as finding the broken portion of the pipe- by the end only 23% of the eagles were only friends with the eagles, demonstating how superordinate goals achieving shared goals requiring cooperation worked to reduce conflict and prejudice.

Question 3

point 2

Answer 3

although robbers cave has been criticised for being weak evidence due to a lack of generalisability In the sample: white protestant American boys- may not of been what occurred on non white/ American people.

Question 4

point 3

Answer 4

tyerman and Spenser carried out a similar study on English Boy Scouts where they had conflicting goals, they all knew eachother before the study although not hostility occurred and competition remained friendly throughout demonstating perhaps other factors may be involved in prejudice other than competition, this is also supported by social identity theory, RCT suggests If resources were plentiful hostility would e reduced, although SIT suggests that prejudice is an unavoidable part of human nature, other factors must beinvplved

Question 5

application

Answer 5

helps us understand origin of prejudice to help limit it if it occurs e.g. in a school environment- using superordinate goals to limit competition and work together to achieve mutual goals- e.g. jigsaw classroom where alll work together to completing one piece of work