Social Psychology

• What is Tajfel and Turner’s Social Identity theory proposed to explain?

  Intergroup behaviours
• What are the four interrelated concepts of Tajfel and Turner’s Social Identity theory?

  • Social Categorisation
  • Social Identity
  • Social Comparison
  • Positive Distinctiveness
• What does the Robbers Cave experiment by Sherif et al. (1961) explore?

  Intergroup conflict and cooperation among boys
• How does an individual's behaviour get influenced according to Tajfel and Turner’s theory?


  By the value they place on their own social group
• What may the desire to perceive one's own group positively lead to?

  Prejudice and discrimination towards other groups
• What do studies demonstrate about people's desire regarding group membership?

  People desire to distinguish themselves based on their group membership
• What does the theory suggest about how groups view themselves in relation to others?

  Groups desire to distinguish themselves from others into clear categories
• What is the effect of ingroups differentiating themselves from outgroups?

  It makes the ingroups feel superior to others
• What are the five stages of Tajfel and Turner’s Social Identity theory?

  1. Social Categorisation: Individuals categorize themselves into social groups
  2. Social Identification: Adopting the identity of a certain group
  3. Social Comparison: Comparing their group to others
  4. In-group and Out-group: Positive perception of in-groups and negative of out-groups
  5. Positive Distinctiveness: Desire for in-groups to be perceived as positively different from out-groups
• What is a strength of Tajfel and Turner’s theory?


  It offers an explanation of minimal intergroup bias
• What is a limitation of Tajfel and Turner’s theory?

  It does not address other factors shaping an individual's identity
• What is another limitation of the theory regarding research support?

  There is limited observable research to support the theory
• How can social categorisation lead to issues?

  • Ingroup Favouritism: Preference for one's ingroup over outgroups
  • Stereotyping and Prejudice: Overemphasis on group similarities and differences
  • Intergroup Conflict: Hostility arising from competition or perceived threats
• How does the experience of social prejudice affect marginalized groups according to SIT?

  It constrains their ability to be aware of positive distinctiveness
• What does SIT suggest about individuals' responses to social prejudice?

  Individuals may adopt social mobility to leave for a more valued group
• What was the aim of the Robbers Cave study?

  To find factors that make intergroups develop a hostile relationship
• What were the two hypotheses tested in the Robbers Cave study?

  1. Interaction in group activities leads to social hierarchies; 2. Competition leads to hostility towards out-groups
• How many boys participated in the Robbers Cave experiment?

  Twenty-two boys
• What was the background of the boys in the Robbers Cave experiment?

  All boys had a white middle-class background
• What were the phases of the Robbers Cave experiment?

  1. In-group Formation: Boys developed leadership and group norms
  2. Group Conflict: Groups competed in games, leading to prejudice
  3. Conflict Resolution: Groups worked together to achieve shared goals
• What activities did the boys participate in during the In-group Formation phase?

  Hiking, swimming, and developing their own culture
• What was the purpose of the Group Conflict phase?

  To put the two groups into competition
• What was awarded to the winning group in the Group Conflict phase?

  A trophy and individual prizes
• What was one example of how prejudice developed between the two groups?

  One group burned the other group's flag
• What was the outcome of the cooling-off period between the groups?

  They referred to their group in more favourable terms
• What strategies were used to reduce conflict in the Conflict Resolution phase?


  Engaging in activities that required cooperation
• What was the Drinking Water Problem scenario designed to achieve?

  To force the groups to work together to solve a problem
• How did the boys react during the supper after the movie decision?

  They ate together with minimal conflict
• What does the study demonstrate about intergroup conflict?

  It can lead to prejudice and discriminatory behaviours
• What are the three key points of Realistic Conflict Theory (RCT)?

  1. Resource Scarcity and Competition: Competition for limited resources leads to hostility
  2. Formation of Ingroup and Outgroup Dynamics: Competitive environments create "us/them" mindsets
  3. Shared Goals: Cooperation can reduce hostility through shared goals
• What contribution did the study make to psychology?

  It illustrated key ideas like realistic conflict theory and social identity theory
• What ethical issues were raised by the Robbers Cave experiment?

  Participants were deceived and not fully informed of the experiment's intentions
• What was a limitation regarding the diversity of participants in the study?

  The experiment only used white middle-class 12-year-old boys
• How did the artificial nature of the competition affect the study's findings?

  It did not reflect real-life situations