RCT essay plan

• RCT AO1


  . prejudice arises due to groups competing for resources eg food, land, dominance

  . subordinate goals (aim of the competition) intensifies the competition between groups and induces hostility through negative functional interdependence and so intergroup prejudice

  . superordinate goals can be introduced to reduce hostility as groups must work together which encourages positive functional interdependence and reduces prejudice
• RCT AO3 strength


  evidence

  .Sherif found boys showed favoritism for boys in own groups and hostility to out group members due to the introduction of competition for resource eg points, so there is credibility to the theory

  CA: boys needed serious provocation to trigger prejudice so intergroup competition may not necessarily lead to hostility

  So What: evidence still provides support that competition led to hostility even if it took a lot of competition
• RCT AO3 weakness


  reductionist

  . doesn't take individual differences into account eg some people are not prejudice and so would not respond to pressures of resource and vise versa - authoritarian personality more likely to be prejudice

  CA: in society will be people who are and aren't (a variety) so theory may explain prejudice in specific individuals

  So What: doesn't explain prejudice in everyone due to not accounting for IDs so not applicable to explain prejudice in wider society