Sherif Flashcards
1
Q
What was Sherif’s beliefs and interests in group dynamics?
A
- interested in the 2 aspects of leadership and stereotyping, how people could follow Nazis
- rejected trait-based stereotypes and the great man theory of leadership. Intergroup behaviour is not primarily a problem of deviate behaviour
2
Q
What reasons are there for groups in conflict?
A
- conflict over resources
- conflict over values
- winning is important for group member’s self-esteem
- groups look out for their own
- humans evolved that way
3
Q
Who were the participants?
A
- 24 boys aged 11/12 who were from stable, white, protestant, middle-class homes
- sample chosen not to be representative but instead to investigate how a seemingly equal group could turn against each other, wanted to prove the stereotypical views wrong by choosing respected sample
4
Q
What were the 4 stages and the method of them?
A
- stage 1: friendship formation, boys allowed to choose their own friends and develop their own friendship networks and allegiances
- stage 2: inter-group relations and segregation, boys deliberately placed into 2 different groups and placed in separate cabins
- stage 3: competition, groups compete for scarce resources
- stage 4: groups co-operate to achieve superordinate goals
5
Q
What were the hypotheses?
A
- group formation: hierarchical structure differentiated in terms of status and roles
- groups in competition: hostile attitudes and actions towards the outgroup will be standardized and a consensus would be made around the group
6
Q
What were the results for hypothesis 1?
A
- groups did develop an internal structure of leaders and subordinates so the group became an organization
- bull dogs were winners, close-knit and cohesive while the red devils were losers, and more stratified
- group became reference group for its members, basis for standardized behaviour, norms were actively enforced
- changes in friendship choices: end of stage 1 only 35% friendships ingroup and 65% with people in opposing group. End of stage 2, after segregation red devils had 95% of friendships be ingroup with bull dogs having 88%
- emerging group culture: nicknames, group name, slogans, myths, rituals
7
Q
What were the results for hypothesis 2?
A
- in stage 2 intergroup relations had been quite cordial, changed once groups competed for scarce resources
- marked decline in quality of intergroup relations, increasingly derogatory slurs and stereotypes
- emergent dynamic associated with out group derogation and distancing, and ingroup enhancement, self-justification and self-glorification
- solidarity within group increased at this time, change in leadership
- planned and actual raids on other groups cabins to sabotage plans, reclaim prizes, steal prized objects, ransack beds etc (done by researchers but blamed on other team)
8
Q
What was the third, additional hypothesis?
A
-hostile attitudes and actions that develop among groups competing for scarce resources can be overcome when groups need to co-operate to achieve super-ordinate goals
9
Q
What was the procedure and results of the third hypothesis?
A
- created situations which were contrived so that both could only achieve desired outcomes by working together
- pooling money to rent a movie, finding water leak in camp’s tank, towing broken-down provisions truck
10
Q
What were the results of the third hypothesis?
A
- reduced friction between groups and unfavourable stereotypes
- 77% of friendships the eagles had were in-group, 64% for rattlers
11
Q
What were the conclusions?
A
- group formation: hierarchy and norms quickly established, emergent group norms regulate behaviour
- intergroup relations: contact doesn’t necessarily lead to low levels of prejudice/conflict, negative interdependence (between groups tensions and prejudicial attitudes towards outgroup, and within groups as attachment increases), positive interdependence between groups increased co-operation and helping decreases prejudice and tensions
12
Q
What are the methodological issues?
A
- researchers were uncomfortable with Sherif’s methods, moved towards more controlled lab studies
- issues with large field studies is that variables are difficult to assess and participants may be exposed to stressful experiences, tend to be time-consuming and expensive
- hypotheses have been supported by follow-up work
- Bilig (1976) suggests researchers seen as possible outgroup
13
Q
What are the theoretical issues?
A
-realistic conflict theory: given scarce resources and scarce situation where it’s win-lose then conflict will be created
14
Q
What impact did it have on the importance of social reality?
A
- shows social psychological processes are grounded in material social reality
- with problems in the world it isn’t the result of psychological limitations/deficiency but instead a response to material circumstances and zero-sum perception
15
Q
What impact did it have beyond individualism and psychologisation?
A
- stereotyping, prejudice and hatred aren’t cognitive problems but social problems
- to understand them we need social psychology
- to improve social relations we can’t look for psychological ‘cures’ but instead need to change social reality and relationships
