What was the Robbers Cave experiment and what did it show?

The Robbers Cave experiment demonstrated that an attempt to simply bring hostile groups together is not enough to reduce intergroup prejudice. Rather, this experiment confirmed that groups must cooperate and have common goals to truly build peace.

What was the Robbers Cave Experiment 1954?

The Robbers Cave experiment was a famous psychology study that looked at how conflict develops between groups. The researchers divided boys at a summer camp into two groups, and they studied how conflict developed between them. They also investigated what did and didn’t work to reduce group conflict.

Is the Robbers Cave Experiment valid?

Sherif’s study has high ecological validity. The 22 boys were at a real summer camp (Robbers Cave in Oklahoma) and had no idea anything unusual was going on. Activities like pulling the truck seemed real to them. Sherif’s study is also valid because he used different methods, like observing and tape-recording the boys.

What was unethical about the Robbers Cave Experiment?

There are serious ethical issues with the Robber’s Case study. Children were manipulated into developing hostile attitudes towards other children, their parents were not allowed fully-informed consent, the boys were not offered the right to withdraw and they were caused stress (psychological harm).

How long was the Robbers Cave Experiment?

three weeks
The 1954 Robbers Cave Experiment by Muzafer Sherif and Carolyn Wood Sherif represents one of the most widely known demonstrations of RCT. The Sherifs’ study was conducted over three weeks in a 200-acre summer camp in Robbers Cave State Park, Oklahoma, focusing on intergroup behavior.

What happened at Robbers Cave?

The events at Robbers Cave mimicked the kinds of conflict that plague people all over the world. The simplest explanation for this conflict is competition. Assign strangers to groups, throw the groups into competition, stir the pot, and soon there is conflict.

Where did the Robbers Cave Experiment happen?

The field experiment involved two groups of twelve-year-old boys at Robber’s Cave State Park, Oklahoma, America. The twenty-two boys in the study were unknown to each other and all from white middle-class backgrounds.

How long did Robbers Cave Experiment last?

Who gave RCT its name?

History. The theory was officially named by Donald Campbell, but has been articulated by others since the middle of the 20th century.

Who hid in Robbers Cave?

One such place. Robbers Cave, is known to have concealed the legendary Jessie James, as well as other famous outlaws including the Youngers, the Dalton Gang, the Rufus Buck Gang, and Belle Starr.

Why was the experiment called the Robbers Cave?

Twenty-two 11-year-old boys were transported to a summer camp located in Oklahoma’s Robbers Cave State Park (hence the name by which this experiment has come to be known). In fact, the groups even chose distinct names for themselves, with one referring to itself as the Rattlers and the other as the Eagles.

What is a real conflict?

Definition and Examples of Realistic Conflict Theory The realistic conflict theory states that whenever there are two or more groups that are seeking the same limited resources, this will lead to conflict, negative stereotypes and beliefs, and discrimination between the groups.

What was the purpose of the Robbers Cave Experiment?

Social Psychology readings The Robbers Cave Experiment Muzafer Sherif et al (1954) The Robbers Cave experiment on intergroup conflict and co-operation was carried out by Muzafer Sherif and others as a part of research program at the University of Oklahoma.

When did Muzafer Sherif do the Robbers Cave Experiment?

In the mid-1950’s Muzafer Sherif and others carried out the Robbers Cave experiment on intergroup conflict and co-operation as a part of research programme at the University of Oklahoma. The hypotheses tested were:

How many times had Robbers Cave been run?

Hey, did we mention that Robbers Cave was actually the third time Sherif had run the same experiment, and some sort of violence had inevitably exploded by the end of each trial? And that in one instance, the boys turned on Sherif and his team?

When does intergroup conflict occur in the Robbers Cave?

Sherif argued that intergroup conflict (i.e. conflict between groups) occurs when two groups are in competition for limited resources. This theory is supported by evidence from a famous study investigating group conflict: The Robbers Cave (Sherif, 1954, 1958, 1961).