Group Dynamic Theories

Realistic Group Conflict

Realistic Group Conflict Theory Developed by Muzafer Sherif et al. (1961) The view that direct competition for valuable but limited resources breeds hostility between groups Limited resources & competition will always provoke prejudices (negative stereotypes) and hostility between groups. Pattern is known as ethnocentrism Realistic Conflict theory assumes the intergroup conflict occurs when there is competition for scarce resources and accordingly, positive relations can only be achieved in superordinate goals are in place

Stereotypes

Social perception of an individual in term of group membership or physical attributes (e.g. gender, race, religion, clothing) Generalization that is made about a group and the attributed to all members of that group Widely held evaluative generalization about a group of people). Assigning similar characteristics to all members of a group. Judge other people based on their perceived membership rather than individual qualities

Sterotype Content Model

Theory proposed by Susan Fiske that prejudices possess two dimensions: warmth and competence. Social groups are perceived as warm if they do not compete with the in-group for the same resources and they are considered competent if they are high in status - that is, economically or educatinally succesful. Thus, lack of competition predicts perceived warmth and status predicts perceived competence. According to this model, Fiske proposed 4 types of prejudices: High warmth/low competence: pity High warmth/high competence: admiration Low warmth/low competence: disgust Low warmth/high competence: envy

Effect of Stereotypes

Unfair prejudgement & allocation of characteristics to individuals that may not be true to them Confirmation bias Affects behaviour (such as decision making) Memory distortions Stereotype threat effect - being aware of existing negative stereotypes against one's own category may affect one's performance Self-fulfilling prophecy - when given a label - we often live up to that explanation Misdiagnosis in mental health due to gender and cultural bias

Common Ingroup Identity Model

a theory suggesting that to the extent individuals in different groups view themselves as members of a single social entity, intergroup bias will be reduced the common ingroup identity model as a means of reducing intergroup bias. This model proposes that bias can be reduced by factors that transform members' perceptions of group boundaries from "us" and "them" to a more inclusive "we". From this perspective, several features specified by the contact hypothesis (e.g. co-operative interaction) facilitate more harmonious intergroup interactions, at least in part, because they contribute to the development of a common ingroup identity. I