Sherif

Question 1

What was Sherif’s beliefs and interests in group dynamics?

Answer 1

• interested in the 2 aspects of leadership and stereotyping, how people could follow Nazis
• rejected trait-based stereotypes and the great man theory of leadership. Intergroup behaviour is not primarily a problem of deviate behaviour

Question 2

What reasons are there for groups in conflict?

Answer 2

• conflict over resources
• conflict over values
• winning is important for group member’s self-esteem
• groups look out for their own
• humans evolved that way

Question 3

Who were the participants?

Answer 3

• 24 boys aged 11/12 who were from stable, white, protestant, middle-class homes
• sample chosen not to be representative but instead to investigate how a seemingly equal group could turn against each other, wanted to prove the stereotypical views wrong by choosing respected sample

Question 4

What were the 4 stages and the method of them?

Answer 4

• stage 1: friendship formation, boys allowed to choose their own friends and develop their own friendship networks and allegiances
• stage 2: inter-group relations and segregation, boys deliberately placed into 2 different groups and placed in separate cabins
• stage 3: competition, groups compete for scarce resources
• stage 4: groups co-operate to achieve superordinate goals

Question 5

What were the hypotheses?

Answer 5

• group formation: hierarchical structure differentiated in terms of status and roles
• groups in competition: hostile attitudes and actions towards the outgroup will be standardized and a consensus would be made around the group

Question 6

What were the results for hypothesis 1?

Answer 6

• groups did develop an internal structure of leaders and subordinates so the group became an organization
• bull dogs were winners, close-knit and cohesive while the red devils were losers, and more stratified
• group became reference group for its members, basis for standardized behaviour, norms were actively enforced
• changes in friendship choices: end of stage 1 only 35% friendships ingroup and 65% with people in opposing group. End of stage 2, after segregation red devils had 95% of friendships be ingroup with bull dogs having 88%
• emerging group culture: nicknames, group name, slogans, myths, rituals

Question 7

What were the results for hypothesis 2?

Answer 7

• in stage 2 intergroup relations had been quite cordial, changed once groups competed for scarce resources
• marked decline in quality of intergroup relations, increasingly derogatory slurs and stereotypes
• emergent dynamic associated with out group derogation and distancing, and ingroup enhancement, self-justification and self-glorification
• solidarity within group increased at this time, change in leadership
• planned and actual raids on other groups cabins to sabotage plans, reclaim prizes, steal prized objects, ransack beds etc (done by researchers but blamed on other team)

Question 8

What was the third, additional hypothesis?

Answer 8

-hostile attitudes and actions that develop among groups competing for scarce resources can be overcome when groups need to co-operate to achieve super-ordinate goals

Question 9

What was the procedure and results of the third hypothesis?

Answer 9

• created situations which were contrived so that both could only achieve desired outcomes by working together
• pooling money to rent a movie, finding water leak in camp’s tank, towing broken-down provisions truck

Question 10

What were the results of the third hypothesis?

Answer 10

• reduced friction between groups and unfavourable stereotypes
• 77% of friendships the eagles had were in-group, 64% for rattlers

Question 11

What were the conclusions?

Answer 11

• group formation: hierarchy and norms quickly established, emergent group norms regulate behaviour
• intergroup relations: contact doesn’t necessarily lead to low levels of prejudice/conflict, negative interdependence (between groups tensions and prejudicial attitudes towards outgroup, and within groups as attachment increases), positive interdependence between groups increased co-operation and helping decreases prejudice and tensions

Question 12

What are the methodological issues?

Answer 12

• researchers were uncomfortable with Sherif’s methods, moved towards more controlled lab studies
• issues with large field studies is that variables are difficult to assess and participants may be exposed to stressful experiences, tend to be time-consuming and expensive
• hypotheses have been supported by follow-up work
• Bilig (1976) suggests researchers seen as possible outgroup

Question 13

What are the theoretical issues?

Answer 13

-realistic conflict theory: given scarce resources and scarce situation where it’s win-lose then conflict will be created

Question 14

What impact did it have on the importance of social reality?

Answer 14

• shows social psychological processes are grounded in material social reality
• with problems in the world it isn’t the result of psychological limitations/deficiency but instead a response to material circumstances and zero-sum perception

Question 15

What impact did it have beyond individualism and psychologisation?

Answer 15

• stereotyping, prejudice and hatred aren’t cognitive problems but social problems
• to understand them we need social psychology
• to improve social relations we can’t look for psychological ‘cures’ but instead need to change social reality and relationships