Realistic conflict theory - social

• what is the RCT based on

  Sherifs findings from his robbers cave experiment
• what does RCT explain prejudice as arising from

  intergroup conflict
• what does RCT say conflict can be caused by

  competition eg of land, dominance, resources, conflict of interest
• example of conflict


  political rivalry between Tutsi and Hutu tribes in rwanda led to mass genocide of almost 1 million Tutsis
• what can conflict result in according to RCT

  extreme in-group solidarity and favouritism, hostility towards out-group members
• what does conflict arise from according to RCT

  subordinate goals
• what is a subordinate goal

  a goal shared by all members of one group
• what can subordinate goals lead to

  negative functional interdependence
• what is negative functional interdependence

  where the group believes the only way to achieve their goal is if the other group fails to achieve theirs
• what can intergroup hostility be reduced by

  a superordinate goal
• what is a superordinate goal

  a goal that is shared by all groups
• what does a superordinate goal lead to

  positive functional interdependence
• what is positive functional interdependence

  where everyone shares the same goal so everyone works together and cooperates to achieve it