Sherif- Classic Study Flashcards
What was the aim of Sherif’s study?
To test in-group behaviours development to include related out-group hostility (through competition) and how this can be reduced (using a super-ordinate goal).
Which participants took part in the study?
22 boys from Oklahoma who were 11 years old
The participants were similar on
IQ and sporting ability
Phase 1 was known as?
Ingroup formation stage
What happened in Phase 1?
The groups were kept separate and were left to bond with tasks like camping
Phase 2 was known as?
the friction phase
What are the results of Phase 1?
The boys built social norms and hierarchies etc
Phase 3 was known as?
Integration phase
What happened in phase 2?
The boys took part in a tournament including tug of war baseball and bean counting
What were the results of phase 2?
The rattlers and the eagles showed prejudice like name calling scuffles flag burnings and raids
Did bringing the boys together to watch a film reduce their prejudice in phase 2/3?
No- they boys showed prejudice making comments like ladies first
What happened in stage 3 of Sherif?
The boys were given superordinate goals like fixing the watersupply together so they could access clean water
What were the results of Phase 3?
Boys were actively seeking opportunities to mingle entertain and treat each other.
What percentage change did we see in rattlers who saw eagles as a friend from S2 to S3?
30pc from 6.4 to 36.4
Which four research methods were used in the study?
Tape recordings Observations Sociometric data and tasks like the bean counting
What are three superordinate goals?
Fix the water supply Pull the broken down truck Chip in to pay for a movie
Sherif is not generalisable because
It is both Androcentric and Ethnocentric because it only uses 22 american boys. This means the results about prejudice caused by competition dont apply to females or other cultures
Sherif is reliable because
Yes because there were certain things that were standardised like the tasks and the measures like the tape recordings
Sherif is not reliable because?
Much of what happened at the camp couldnt be standardised e.g. extraneous variables in the summer camp making it hard to repeat the same
What are three strengths for validity of Sherifs study?
High ecological validity Reduced Demand Characteristics and Triangulation of data
Why is Sherif high in ecological validity?
The summer camp is a natural setting for the boys so their prejudice behaviour might be like what they would show in real life
How did this study get triangualtion of data?
The four measurements of the boys mean the results can be checked against each other giving concurrent validity
Does this study have an issue with extraneous variables?
Yes because there are factors in the summer camp beyond the competition/superordinate goals which could effect the boys e.g. interactions with the counsellors
Does this study have high or low demand characteristics?
Low Demand Characteristics because the boys didnt know they were being studied about prejudice
Does this study have issues with informed consent?
Yes because the boys didnt know they were being studied/why their parents had however given some level of consent
Does this study have an issue with protection from harm?
Yes because the children got into fights which could have resulted in injuries
Does this study have issues with withdrawal?
To some degree some boys did leave because they were homesick but they didnt know they were being studied which means they couldnt leave the study
