Resolving Intergroup Conflict

Question 1

Robbers cave study
Sherif et al (1961)

Answer 1

• Used sheer contact as a strategy
• Superordinate goals - work together to fix the water cart and pull bins using rope.
• This was based on Realistic Conflict Theory

Question 2

Sheer contact theory strategies

Answer 2

European work on foreign exchange students:
- Stroebe et al (1988)
host stereotypes held by foreign students studying abroad become more negative
- Exchange students tend not to integrate

Question 3

Studies of school desegregation in the USA

Answer 3

• Aronson (1988), minority students feel threatened in de-segregated environment.
• May rebel against ‘white’ norms and values in education and develop counter-norms and values

Question 4

Rupert Brown’s (1995)

Answer 4

• Kids often bussed back to their own separate ethnic communities at the end of the day
• Too much emphasis on short-term effects

Question 5

Contact Research

Answer 5

• Trew (1986) intergroup attitudes are no more positive mixed schools

Question 6

Allport (1954)
The contact hypothesis

Answer 6

• Equal status
• Common goals
• Social & Institutional support

Question 7

Aronson et al jigsaw classroom (1978)

Answer 7

• School competitive
• Based on Allports model of contact
• Children work in groups on projects

Question 8

Cognitive dissonance enhanced by incompatible attitudes

Answer 8

• is stating that there is an exception to the rule.
• i.e. I don’t like Indian people but I look a girl in my close who’s Indian, she must be the exception

Question 9

Evaluating the Jigsaw Classroom

Answer 9

• Co-operative learning can work if no intergroup competition
• Effect is often small especially when shared goals are not achieved

Question 10

Cook (1978) a re-formulation based on similarity-attraction theories

Answer 10

• equal status within the situation
• Outgroupers disconfirm stereotypes

Question 11

Hewstone & Brown (1986)
criticisms of contact research

Answer 11

• Over-estimation of the role oil ignorance
• Direction of causality hard to ascertain
• Generalisation fo positive attitudes

Question 12

Hewstone & Brown (1986) their suggestions

Answer 12

• ‘dual identity’ approach, maintain original identities but work towards superordinate goals

Question 13

Pettigrew & Tropp (2006)

Answer 13

• Conclude there is evidence for prejudice reduction following contact
• Contact situations designed around Allports optimal conditions are most effective, but they are not essential.
• Start early with children
• Need more longitudinal studies

Question 14

The Recategorisation approach
Gaertner et al (1989)

Answer 14

• Also known as ‘common in group identity’ model.
• Outlines house intergroup biases can be reduced
• Lowers the importance of old social identities
• Reduces prejudice

Question 15

Augmenting the effects of contact

Answer 15

• ‘status compensation’ and positive discrimination
• Media: Portray muslims negatively in the media. As well as lack of positive role models in mass media

Question 16

Pettigrew (1998)

Important for revision

Answer 16

• Integrating three key theories into a single stage-based model
• Structured into 3 sections
  1) Decategorisation, acquaintance as individuals, leading to liking friendship
  2) Dual Identity, reminded of in-group and out group identities to promote stereotype change
  3) Recatergorisation, a new superordinate identity is eventually formed