Sherifs RCT

• Sherif's aim was to find out what factors make two groups develop hostile relationships and then to see how this hostility can be reduced - to see if two groups of boys can be manipulated into conflict through competition and then conflict resolution by working together
• What was sherif's sample ?

  22 children, ages 11 - 12 years, middle class, protestant boys
• What were the 3 phases in the study ?

  • in-group formation / bonding stage
  • Friction phase / competition phase
  • Integration phases
• The in-group formation phases was when the 2 groups of boys bonded, getting to know each other through activities such as swimming and hiking. They determined their groups
• The two groups were called the Rattlers and Eagles
• The friction phases was where there was competition and counsellors and sherif observed physical fights, teams stealing belongings, raiding bedrooms and burning oppositions flags
• The integration phases was when the 2 groups came together, pulling a truck, fixing a water tank, watched films together - where friendships formed between groups
• What did the friction phase involve ?

  involved tournaments, increasing competition - such as baseball , tug - of - war , scavenger hunts and prizes were promised such as pocket knives and medals
• Is sherifs study generalisable ?


  No, as we cannot assume that females or other back rounds would be influenced by competition in the same way
• is sherifs study reliable ?

  yes - the results have inter - rater reliability - there was multiple counsellors observing, to compare behaviour seen across the day, to keep it consistent and not biased
• Are sherifs results applicable / useful ?

  yes - it can explain real life events, such as football violence as both teams compete to win the league which is a limited resource
• Does sherifs results have ecological validity ?

  Yes , it was a real life setting and activities. The activities were natural for the environment and the competition influenced their behaviour naturally. The boys were already attending the summer camp
• Was the study ethical ?

  no, there was physical fights and distress, the violence was encouraged for the aim
• RCT - sherif assumes that prejudice and conflict is a result of :

  • competition for a limited resource (real or perceived)
  • each individual will increase hostility and conflict to make the opposition feel inferior
• RCT : hostility and conflict will reduce if a shared (superordinate) goal is introduced which means the groups have to cooperate for the same resource in which both can achieve
• Is RCT Feasible ? (assumptions are accurate)

  yes as he assumed that hostility and prejudice will increase with competition, which it did in the friction phase - and that it will reduce with shared goals such as the integration phase
• Is RCT Useful ?

  Yes as it can help reduce prejudice in real life by introducing more shared goals.

  It can explain real life events such as in football they compete for a limited resource, which is the win for the league, fighting for rights, power and land
• Is there another feasible alternative to RCT ?

  yes, Social identity theory explains that prejudice between groups is due to the formation between in groups and out groups to increase the feeling of identity and self esteem
• how well does RCT explain prejudice ?


  it explains it well, but it may only explain prejudice in that specific group of boys, 11 - 12 years and also could be a result of testosterone
• Sherif suggested that prejudice can be reduced by introducing shared goals
• Realistic conflict theory