Social Key Question Flashcards
What is the social key question?
How can knowledge of social psychology be used to reduce conflict in situations such as rioting and crowd behaviour?
A01:Examples of negative situations in society
-Rioting: London riots 2011, mark duggan shot by police, escalated from peaceful march for him to setting buildings on fire. US riots, LA massacre 200 people killed
-Football hooliganism: hillsborough disaster, crush at stadium. Clashes between fans, European countries throwing flares
-Protests: just stop oil throwing paint over Chelsea flower show, preventing tankers from leaving terminals
A01: what is the impact that these negative situations have on society?
-Riots: 3000 arrests made, 5 people died, increased sentences, 6th sentence for stealing 3.50 worth of water, cost $227,000 for damage in Tottenham
-Football hooliganism: 97 deaths, 766 injures due to overcrowding
-Protests: cost police $3.5M in a month. 45 ppl arrested for breaching public order act. 11,000 police officer shifts lost. 78 marches. Prevent fuel from being transported.
A01: what is crowd behaviour and what kind of negative impact does it have on wider society?
-Can breed and affirm stereotypes (upper class for just stop oil) increase stereotypes - mistrust that the public had with the police. Ruins events
A01: Why does society need to sort crowd behaviour issue out?
-Hurts people, causes costs to repair, property, keep occurring in history so need to prevent, not going to fix if not aware.
A02: Theories to use to explain the key question
-Social identity theory
-Realistic conflict theory
-Social impact theory
Social identity theory: define concepts
-In-group and outgroup: group person belongs to and believes is superior, identity with and have similarities. Groups you don’t belong to, labelled, differences.
-Social comparison: increase self esteem, in group compares to outgroup. Show in group favouritism to own group even if not high status. Outgroup negative bias, accentuate their weaknesses.
Social identity theory: how would concepts explain the cause of rioting hooliganism or protesting
In group and out group: villa may see themselves as in group and wolves outgroup, cause prej
Social comparison: team compare themselves to other team showing in group favouritism. Think they have better players even if don’t, neg outgroup bias, they play dirty if do well
Realistic conflict theory: definitions of concepts
-Competition: in group and outgroup compete for the same resource, scarce make the competition more fierce
-Negative interdependence: in group see outgroup as barrier to reaching their goal so need to get rid of them
-Scarce resources: limited resources, more desirable. In and out group can’t both have it
RCT: explaining cause
Competition: football. Both want to be the top of the league, compete to be the best, compete at who supports better team
Negative interdependence: protestors see gov as barrier to reaching their goal as don’t agree. Riots between races, see races as a barrier, taking jobs
Scarce resources: rioters trying to reach limited resource eg jobs, compete with others to get it.
Social impact theory: concepts
-Number: ratio of targets to sources. How much social influence source has on the target. If adequate no of sources then the influence will be larger
-Immediacy: how close relationship between source and target distance and proximity. Greater proximity and relationship them more influence
Social impact theory: concept explaining the cause
-Number: more protestors to to police so the effect of the police is reduced
-Immediacy: If police are less proximate then they will have less of an effect on protestors
What are the ways to reduce conflict in social situations?
-Super-ordinate goals
-Increased contact
-Education
-Social impact theory
Super ordinate goals: how does it aim to reduce conflict
-Give in and out-group a shared goal, both have to work together to achieve, can’t achieve on own, brings them together
Practical example for super-ordinate goals
-Give protestors and gov shared goal of fixing the issue eg oil production together, reduce conflict
How does increased contact aim to reduce conflict?
-If around other group may breakdown stereotypes which causes prejudice
Practical example of increased contact
-More contact with other races (rioting) or different teams (football) can help them see the stereotype they have is not true
How does education aim to reduce conflict?
-Jane Elliot: blue and brown eyed experiment. Make them experience being the outgroup to see how it can be destructive, simplistic characteristics
Practical example of education
-Educate on prejudice towards other races, reduce riots
How does social impact theory aim to reduce conflict?
-Strength: source has high authority
-Number: enough sources around target
-Immediacy: make sure source and target in close proximity
Practical example of social impact theory
-Police wear uniforms, increase ratio of police to protestors or rioters, be physically closer so their authority is followed
Evidence
-Sherif et al: supports that prej lead to rioting, when comp introduced burning flags and fought. Prej factor in behaviour between football teams. Supports that super-ordinate goals can reduce, pooling resources. Use with protestors
-Jane Elliot: education to reduce prejudice, split in groups and taught them prej wrong, put in same situation. Use to educate people on prej due to race and prevent riots or protests
-Levine: exp on football fans, watched stranger fall and injure. Manu shirt matching their club, diff condition wore LPool shirt. 92% helped manU only 30% helped Liverpool.
Comparisons and credibility
-Wrong to assume rioting caused by just group beh. Indiv diffs like personality can cause rioting and protests. Those w AP have high prej. Project feelings of inadequacy
-can’t assume super ordinate will be successful as groups may not work together. Lead to more prej as don’t want to associate, reinforces stereotypes. Isn’t always goal t be reached.
How good is the research?
-Sherif: high EV. Field. Summer camp. Typical of competitions. Ways of reducing are applicable.
-Sherif: low gen as sample of 22 boys. Can’t gen to women or older people
