Realistic Conflict Theory

• Realistic conflict theory

  Prejudice occurs because there's conflict between two groups due to competition for a limited resource
• Superordinate goals

  Shared goals that both groups want and can only be achieved through cooperation
• How does population affect conflict?

  When a population is small and necessary resources are plentiful, conflict is less likely
• Support for realistic conflict theory

  Sherif's study (1961)

  • competition for the prize (limited resource) caused the boys to display aggressive behaviour and conflict, for example one group destroyed the other group's flag
  • the groups were given superordinate goals (such as fixing the water supply, pulling a stuck truck out of mud and coming together to buy a film), then they began to sit together at lunch
• Weaknesses of realistic conflict theory

  • doesn't explain how prejudice forms in the absence of competition -> theory depends on on conflict for limited resources

  Tajfel (1970)

  • discrimination occurred when there was no competition suggesting not all prejudice stems from competition over limited resources
• Applications of RCT

  • views on immigration -> immigrants enter a country and may be prejudiced against because they see them as competition for limited resources such as jobs (intergroup conflict)
  • covid - countries came together to create treatments and vaccines (superordinate goals -> intergroup harmony)