Reicher and Haslam

Question 1

What is social comparison?

Answer 1

Final stage, where we now compare ourselves to other groups once we have identified and categorised ourselves into that group.

Question 2

What was the aim of Reicher and Haslam’s study?

Answer 2

To investigate how tyranny may form or decrease as a result of group behaviour.

Question 3

Procedure of Reicher and Haslan

Answer 3

15 men, matched on personality variables into 5 groups of 3.
There were 5 guards and 10 prisoners.
They lived in a mock prison for 10 days with permeability between the groups altering.
Firstly, the 15 participants were divided into 5 groups of three, who were closely matched based on race, authoritarianism and social dominance. Then from each group of 3, 1 was randomly selected as a guard.
Guards had the job to make sure the prison runs smoothly.
There were three planned observations:
- permeability
- legitimacy
- cognitive alternatives these were the IVS.

Question 4

What were the findings of Reicher and Haslam’s study?

Answer 4

Phase 1: Rejecting inequality
- in this phase, the guards didn’t identify with their group and didn’t act collectively. The prisoners also lacked a social identity and acted individually in the hopes of being promoted. However, after promotion on day three the prisoners identified as a group and on day 6 the guards were overthrown by the prisoners.
Phase 2: embracing inequality
pps agreed to continue as commune but some prisoners plot against so
confidence = lost Day 8 - study stopped because new tyrannical system created = against ethics.

Question 5

What did Reicher and
Haslam conclude?

Answer 5

Tyranny arose as a solution to group failure.
People do not blindly conform to roles that are assigned to them.
Social identification is important to allow the group to be affective and affects the members mental health.