Sherif et al - research into prejudice Flashcards
What was the aim of the study
Use a field experiment to produce group norms and to measure their effects on the perceptions and judgements of those involved
What was the sample
22 middle-class protestant white boys from Oklahoma Similar backgrounds
What did Sherif find
Sherif found that superordinate goals increased the number of boys whose friendship were now with the out-group compared to the choice made in stage 2
What was stage one of the studies
where in-groups were created by facilitating tasks that require in-group co-operation
What was stage 2 of the experiment
Where groups were brought together in situations where they would have to compete against one another for goals
What was stage 3 of the experiment
Where superordinate goals were introduced to encourage co-operation between the groups in order to reduce in-group hostility
What was a strength of the study
High ecological validity
Typical summer camp with common activities therefore reduced demand characteristics
Generalised to target population as realistic to real life
What was a strength of the study
Findings have a practical applications
Superordinate goals can help reduce prejudice in schools
Real world application as explains prejudice in groups of people
What a weakness of the study
The sample is limited
He only used boys of similar background and same age
Difficult to generalise because pps were carefully selected
Boys were naturally competitive due to athletic abilities
