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Flashcards in Realistic Conflict Theory Deck (5)
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1
Q

Describe realistic conflict theory

A
  • States that the presence of another group will lead to conflict if they have conflicting goals or competition over limited resources
    3 key components:
    1- Intergroup competition - when 2 groups are aiming for the same goal so prejudice and hostility increases
    2- Negative interdependence - when 2 groups of people who are both trying to achieve the same goal but only one can so obstruct each other’s effort to achieve the goals
    3- Limited resources - competition for: scarce materials (e.g. food), physical resources (e.g. clothes) and symbolic resources (e.g. medal)
  • States that superordinate goals (goals achieved through teamwork) can be a solution to competition causing prejudice
2
Q

Supporting research?

A

P - Sherif’s (1954) study supports
E - He found that when he introduced competition to the boys they became hostile
E - Showing that prejudice can come from competition

3
Q

Criticism of supporting research?

A

P - Sherif’s study has low generalisability
E - The sample of 12 year old boys from America, matched as closely as possible
E - Not generalisable to whole population or other countries and so isn’t representative of prejudice arising as a result of conflict

4
Q

Application?

A

P- Social identity theory
E- Suggests that individuals tend to categorise other people on the basis of characteristics such as educational attainment as a means of self-comparison
E- Accounts for the violent behaviour towards our group which SIT doesn’t so RCT is better

5
Q

Weakness of theory?

A

P - Reductionist
E - Reduces cause of prejudice down to competition for resources and conflict of interest
E - Humans are very complex and so there must be more detail to why prejudice occurs