Intergroup ConflictIntergroup Conflict

OutlineOutline

• Sources of intergroup conflictSources of intergroup conflict– Competition and conflictCompetition and conflict– Social categorizationSocial categorization

• Intergroup conflict resolutionIntergroup conflict resolution– ContactContact– Beyond contactBeyond contact– Cognitive curesCognitive cures

Robbers Cave Experiment Robbers Cave Experiment (Sherifs, 1961)(Sherifs, 1961)

• A field study attempting to better A field study attempting to better understand the causes and understand the causes and consequences of intergroup conflict.consequences of intergroup conflict.– Subjects:Subjects:

• Normal boys of the same age, educational level, Normal boys of the same age, educational level, similar sociocultural backgroundssimilar sociocultural backgrounds

– Group formation:Group formation:• Arrived in 2 separate groups (Rattlers and the Arrived in 2 separate groups (Rattlers and the

Eagles). Remained apart for one week.Eagles). Remained apart for one week.

Robbers Cave Experiment Robbers Cave Experiment (Sherifs, 1961)(Sherifs, 1961)

– Ingroup/outgroup rivalry:Ingroup/outgroup rivalry:• Occurred spontaneously when each group Occurred spontaneously when each group

realized the other boys were there. It was realized the other boys were there. It was spurred by the Sherifs who set up competitive spurred by the Sherifs who set up competitive tournament.tournament.

– Tournament conflict escalation:Tournament conflict escalation:• Rejection, verbal insults, name calling and Rejection, verbal insults, name calling and

physical violencephysical violence

Robbers Cave Experiment Robbers Cave Experiment (Sherifs, 1961)(Sherifs, 1961)

Competition and Conflict: Competition and Conflict: Us versus themUs versus them

1) Competition between groups for resources1) Competition between groups for resources

– Realistic conflict theory: Realistic conflict theory: • Intergroup conflict is caused by competition among Intergroup conflict is caused by competition among

groups over limited resources.groups over limited resources.

– Competition implicated in class struggles, Competition implicated in class struggles, international warfare, racism...international warfare, racism...

Competition and ConflictCompetition and Conflict

• 2. Reciprocity of contentious strategies2. Reciprocity of contentious strategies– Groups also follow the norm of reciprocityGroups also follow the norm of reciprocity

• Hatfield/McCoy disputeHatfield/McCoy dispute

– A spiral model of conflict intensification A spiral model of conflict intensification accurately describes Robbers cave:accurately describes Robbers cave:• Verbal abuseVerbal abuse• AvoidanceAvoidance• DiscriminationDiscrimination• Physical assaultPhysical assault

Competition and ConflictCompetition and Conflict• 3. Scapegoating3. Scapegoating

• Hostility caused by frustrating circumstances Hostility caused by frustrating circumstances are sometimes taken out on innocent are sometimes taken out on innocent members of other social groupsmembers of other social groups

– Explains rise in prejudice when the Explains rise in prejudice when the economy takes a downturneconomy takes a downturn

– Study showing a significant negative correlation Study showing a significant negative correlation between the number of black men lynched in the between the number of black men lynched in the US and the price of cotton. (Hovland and Sears, US and the price of cotton. (Hovland and Sears, 1940)1940)

Class ActivityClass Activity

• Form two groups:Form two groups:– Group A: People wearing tennis shoesGroup A: People wearing tennis shoes– Group B: People not wearing tennis shoesGroup B: People not wearing tennis shoes

• Group tasks:Group tasks:– Group A:Group A:

• List as many reasons as you can think of as to why the List as many reasons as you can think of as to why the members of group B did members of group B did notnot wear tennis shoes today. wear tennis shoes today.

– Group B:Group B:• List as many reasons as you can think of as to why the List as many reasons as you can think of as to why the

members of group A are wearing tennis shoes today. members of group A are wearing tennis shoes today.

Social Categorization: Social Categorization: Perceiving Us and ThemPerceiving Us and Them

• 1) Ingroup/outgroup bias:1) Ingroup/outgroup bias:– We favor our own group and derogate the We favor our own group and derogate the

outgroupoutgroup• At Robbers Cave, when asked to name their At Robbers Cave, when asked to name their

friends Eagles picked Eagles, Rattlers picked friends Eagles picked Eagles, Rattlers picked RattlersRattlers

• Boys used negative characteristics to describe Boys used negative characteristics to describe the outgroup, but rated their own group more the outgroup, but rated their own group more favorablyfavorably

Social CategorizationSocial Categorization

• Cognitive consequences of categorizationCognitive consequences of categorization– A. Outgroup homogeneity effect:A. Outgroup homogeneity effect:

• Assuming outgroup members are all the sameAssuming outgroup members are all the same

– B. Ingroup differentiation bias:B. Ingroup differentiation bias:• We assume our group is complex and diverseWe assume our group is complex and diverse

– C. Extremity bias:C. Extremity bias:• We make more extreme judgments about people in other We make more extreme judgments about people in other

groupsgroups

Social CategorizationSocial Categorization– D. Law of small numbers:D. Law of small numbers:

• We base judgments about another group based on We base judgments about another group based on observations of a small number of individualsobservations of a small number of individuals

– E. Group attribution error:E. Group attribution error:• We base judgments about individuals on the general We base judgments about individuals on the general

characteristics of the whole groupcharacteristics of the whole group

– F. Stereotypes:F. Stereotypes:• We rely on cognitive generalizations about qualities and We rely on cognitive generalizations about qualities and

characteristics of members of a particular groupcharacteristics of members of a particular group

Social CategorizationSocial Categorization

• Does categorization cause conflict?Does categorization cause conflict?– Minimal group paradigmMinimal group paradigm

• A research procedure used to study intergroup A research procedure used to study intergroup conflict that creates temporary groupings of conflict that creates temporary groupings of anonymous people whose interdependence is anonymous people whose interdependence is virtually nilvirtually nil

• Even in minimal groups there is evidence of Even in minimal groups there is evidence of bias!bias!

Social Identity Theory (SIT)Social Identity Theory (SIT)• Three basic assumptions of SIT:Three basic assumptions of SIT:

• People categorize the social world into ingroups and People categorize the social world into ingroups and outgroupsoutgroups

• People strive for a positive self-concept; they derive a People strive for a positive self-concept; they derive a sense of self-esteem from their social identitysense of self-esteem from their social identity

• People’s self-concept partly depends on their evaluation People’s self-concept partly depends on their evaluation of their group relative to others.of their group relative to others.

• Thus, Social Identity Theory suggests:Thus, Social Identity Theory suggests:• We ridicule members of other groups to raise the value We ridicule members of other groups to raise the value

of our own group; thus, raising the value of our self.of our own group; thus, raising the value of our self.

Intergroup Conflict ResolutionIntergroup Conflict Resolution

• Peaceful co-existence through benign Peaceful co-existence through benign contactcontact– Contact hypothesis:Contact hypothesis:

• Frequent contact between groups reduces Frequent contact between groups reduces conflict between those groupsconflict between those groups

– The Sherifs brought the boys togetherThe Sherifs brought the boys together• Watching films, lighting fireworks, eatingWatching films, lighting fireworks, eating

– This failed!This failed!• Contact during meals lead to food fights!Contact during meals lead to food fights!

Intergroup Conflict ResolutionIntergroup Conflict Resolution

• Beyond contactBeyond contact– Superordinate goals hypothesis:Superordinate goals hypothesis:

• Situations that encourage groups to work Situations that encourage groups to work together to achieve a common goal can reduce together to achieve a common goal can reduce conflict between these groups.conflict between these groups.

• Sherifs created a series of emergencies that Sherifs created a series of emergencies that could only be handled by the groups working could only be handled by the groups working togethertogether

• After 6 days of this cooperation the tensions After 6 days of this cooperation the tensions were fairly well wiped out!were fairly well wiped out!

Superordinate GoalsSuperordinate Goals

Happy Ending!Happy Ending!

Conflict Reducing Contact SituationsConflict Reducing Contact Situations

• Necessary ingredients:Necessary ingredients:• 1) Cooperation:1) Cooperation:

– Work together for common goalsWork together for common goals

• 2) Status2) Status– Equal status!Equal status!

• 3) Personal interaction3) Personal interaction– Involving, positive interactions; not superficialInvolving, positive interactions; not superficial

• 4) Norms4) Norms– Encouraging egalitarian attitudesEncouraging egalitarian attitudes

• 5) Positive outcomes:5) Positive outcomes:– Should results in success!Should results in success!

Intergroup Conflict ResolutionIntergroup Conflict Resolution

• Cognitive cures for conflictCognitive cures for conflict– DecategorizationDecategorization

• Minimizing the salience of group memberships and Minimizing the salience of group memberships and stressing the individuality of each personstressing the individuality of each person

– RecategorizationRecategorization• Collapsing groups in conflict into a single group or Collapsing groups in conflict into a single group or

categorycategory

– Controlled stereotyped thinking (Devine)Controlled stereotyped thinking (Devine)• Stereotypes are automatically activated- but we can Stereotypes are automatically activated- but we can

control our subsequent thoughtscontrol our subsequent thoughts