Explanations of Prejudice Realistic Conflict Theory, Sherif (1966)
Background Information Muzafer Sherif: Landmark contribution to social psychology categorically stated that we cannot understand prejudice and discrimination at the level of “the individual” (personality) he lead psychology away from theories such as Authoritarian Personality Theory and Frustration-Aggression Hypothesis He said we must take “the group” as our unit of study and pay attention to group dynamics and inter-group relations
More background in order to understand inter-group relations, he decided to create two meaningful groups from scratch and observe their development over time This lead to the famous Robber’s Cave Studies, the Classic Study for the Social Psychology topic RCT developed from the findings of this important study
Key Features of Realistic Conflict Theory: COMPETITION Sherif says that inter-group competition arises when two or more groups are striving for the same goal; this is when prejudice and hostility intensifies problems are likely to already exist due to the in-group/out-group phenomenon, but these will be magnified by real economic, political or status competition.
Key Features of RCT: Negative interdependence situation A negative interdependence situation arises when only one of two groups can reach a goal which is important for both of them, i.e. there is a real conflict of interests This sort of situation leads to: strong antagonism or hostility between groups favouritism of the ingroup an increase of solidarity inside each group. In these situations, the attainment of the goal by one group, necessarily means the frustration of the other group’s goals; intensified hostility and ultimately conflict.
Key Features of RCT: The “prizes” The struggle between the groups may be for scarce material or physical resources, e.g. food, territory but it might also be for symbolic resources, such as political power, prestige and authority.
Key Features of RCT: Zero Sum Situations When the source of the conflict is physical and finite, for example a specific strip of land that is being fought over, this has been called a “zero-sum” situation When only one group can win meaning the other must lose, fiercer conflict is more likely When some form of compromise is possible or the commodity is more subjective, conflict will not be as fierce.
Key Features of RCT: Super-ordinate goals Superordinate goals: the benefit to both groups is great enough to transcend group differences, e.g. fighting a common threat together When groups need each other to accomplish a common project or to reach superordinate goals, hostility reduces “Social representations” or beliefs about the other group become more favourable and relations between groups tend towards harmony.