Social Psychology - Lecture 3

Question 1

The Robbers Cave Experiment

Answer 1

Three-Phases

1. In-group formation (playing around as a group)
2. Inter-group friction (competing with the other group)
3. Integration/friction reduction (Cooperative super ordinate goals)

Question 2

Social Identity

Answer 2

“that part of an individual’s self-concept which derives from his knowledge of his membership of a social group (or groups), together with the value and emotional significance attached to that membership” (Tajfel, 1981)

Question 3

Minimal group paradigm

Answer 3

• Social identity studied using minimal group paradigm
• participants allocated to a group on the basis of a meaningless categorisation
• participants only know OWN group membership
• there is no interaction between groups (i.e., no history of conflict/relationships)
  Results:
• participants give more money/points to member of own group
• demonstrates: in-group favouritism, out-group discrimination

Question 4

Effects of in-group and out-group

Answer 4

In-group effects: 
- in-group favouritism 
- perceived in-group heterogeneity
Out-group effects:
- discrimination
- perceived out-group homogeneity

Question 5

Social Identity Theory

Answer 5

SIT proposes that our self-esteem is affected by group memberships, so we are motivated to be biased towards the in-group

Question 6

What are the SIT stages?

Answer 6

1. Categorisation
2. Identification
3. Comparison

Question 7

(1) Categorisation

Answer 7

defining ourselves and other people as belonging to specific social groups
- categorisation boosts self-esteem

Question 8

(2) Identification

Answer 8

we identify with other members of the in-group

elicits two assumptions:

• in-group similarity (we are alike in some way)
• out-group dissimilarity (they are different from us)

Question 9

(3) Comparison

Answer 9

we make direct comparisons between in-group & out-group

• we employ self-serving bias/attribution errors when doing so
• the biases allow us to gain a positive self-evaluation from comparison

Question 10

Self-categorisation theory

Answer 10

• multiple ‘levels of abstraction’ of categorisation

- all levels are equally valid - self perception fluctuates between them, depending on context

Question 11

Levels of abstraction

Answer 11

Subordinate, personal characteristics (Me) -> Intermediate, group membership (Social Identity) -> Superordinate, global membership (Humanity)

Question 12

Superordinate

Answer 12

• membership of the group humanity
• see yourself as being like other people and other people being like you
• the most despicable acts are often described as “inhuman

Question 13

Intermediate

Answer 13

• membership of social categories/groups - similar to biographical aspects of self-concept and social identity
• you consider yourself to have shared characteristics with other members of the same group

Question 14

Subordinate

Answer 14

things that are unique about you as a person and that make you different from other members of the groups you belong to

Question 15

Salience

Answer 15

Superordinate salience - no in-group/out-group effects, see ourselves as all similar
Intermediate salience - categorisation effects and in-group/out-group effects are produced
-Subordinate salience - no in-group/out-group effects, see ourselves as unique