Realistic Conflict Theory: Prejudice Flashcards
What is realistic conflict theory a theory of?
Prejudice
What is realistic conflict theory theory?
When two or more groups are competing for the same limited resources, this will lead to conflict and discrimination between the groups.
What experiment supports this and who conducted it?
The robbers cave experiment by Sherif et Al. (1954/1961)
What are the key concepts of realistic conflict theory?
Conflict of interest, competition for resources, dominance or land
What is a super ordinate goal?
When both groups have to work together and cooperate on to achieve a shared aim, this reduces hostility and created more harmony between groups.
What is a real life example of realistic conflict theory?
E.g Tutsi and Hutu tribes in Rwanda lived peacefully and inter married, until political rivalry between the groups caused mass genocide of almost 1 million Tutsis
What is the result of realistic conflict theory?
RESULT:
Extreme in-group favouritism and solidarity.
Hostility towards members of the out-group.
Intergroup hostility can be reduced by a superordinate goal
Which is when both groups had to work and cooperate on to achieve a shared aim. It reduces hostility and created more harmony between groups.
EVIDENCE
Sherif found that boys would show favouritism for boys in their own group and hostility towards boys outside their group because of competition for a resource E.G points and prizes. This implies that there is some credibility to the theory.
This is a field experiment and arguably had good ecological validity, the original paper towels how the boys needed some serious provocation in order to trigger only explicit display of prejudice or discrimination. E.G experimenters raided one cabin to see as if it was the other group. Therefore, intergroup competition may not necessarily lead to hostility.
Jane Elliot would argue that the more presence of groups creates prejudice, suggesting that RCT is not a complete theory. She found that prejudiced occurred by simply creating two groups (blue eyes and brown eyes) and highlighting differences between them.
APPLICATION
This theory is good at explaining prejudice as a result over a resource E.G wars that occur over land
Superordinate goals can be applied to combat prejudice and discrimination in the modern world (even small conflict in schools/business)
STRENGTHS AND SHORTCOMINGS
The theory can be considered reductionist because it does not take into account individual differences E.G. Some people are not prejudice and therefore would not respond to the pressure of a resource E.G individuals with an authoritarian personality may be more likely to be prejudice.
Psychology is a science - a theory should be falsifiable (possible to demonstrate that the claims of the theory of wrong) - RCT produces testable hypotheses and such allows disproof. This shows that RCT is a scientific theory, adding credibility to this explanation for prejudice.
ALTERNATIVE
Social identity theory would argue that prejudice occur occurs as a result of simply being part of a group and then through social comparison prejudice is created.
