Reducing Prejudice and Discrimination.

Sherif
1. Theory
  1. Theory: He believed prejudice and conflict can be reduced through cooperation. Involves teamwork and effort from all for a common goal to be achieved. Cannot be achieved unless both groups work together
  2. Evaluation: if goal isn't achieved, prejudice may increase when working together. In real life, it can be difficult to get different racial groups to work together successfully. However, the study has proved to be succesful for white american boys, perhaps not others.
2. Study
  1. Aim: to see if he could get the boys to be friends
  2. Method: He arranged joint activities e.g. cinema and meals. Didn't work. Made a situation where a truck was stuck in mud, needed pulling out or dinner would be missed.
  3. Results: successful because the task couldn't be completed without effort from all.
  4. Conclusion: cooperation on an important task reduces prejudice between groups
  5. Evaluation: Boys unaware of taking part - no demand characteristics, but classed as unethical. Proves that cooperation reduces prejudice. External validity reduced - only conducted upon American Boys - not generalisable to females or cross-culturally.
Elliott
1. Theory
  1. Theory: Empathy can reduce P+D. Involved children experienceing empathy. Showed a redution in prejudice due to experiences.
  2. Evaluation: considered EXTREMELY unethical; children made to feel distress / psychological harm. Reflects children; not adults? Theory DOES support prejudice being reduced by empathy - 9 years later students more tolerant.
2. Study
  1. Aim: to see if empathy reduces prejudice
  2. Method: She created prejudice between blue eyed and brown eyed students. Blue eyed were 'smarter'. Brown eyed couldn't play with the blue eyed and weren't to use the water fountain. The rules swapped the next day.
  3. Results: Immediate reaction. Blue eyed delighted, arrogant, vicious. Brown eyed angry, saddened, confused, withdrawn. Fights broke out. The next day, feelings swapped.
  4. Conclusion: Experiencing empathy reduces prejudice and discrimination. Children grew up more tolerant
  5. Evaluation: Study conducted on children. Results not generalisable to adults, questions validity. Causing children to feel empathy can cause psychological harm, which is unethical as distress is caused.
Aaronson
1. Theory
  1. Theory: cooperation reduces prejudice between groups. Developed 'jigsaw method' between black and white children. they had to work together to achieve a common goal.
  2. Evaluation: method only works when everybody contributes. If one or more refuse to work, common goal is not achieved and more prejudice can be caused. method may not be generalisable to other racial groups. People that took part may be considered an exception.
2. Study
  1. Aim: To eliminate prejudice between black and white students in Texas, USA.
  2. Method: Developed the 'Jigsaw method' involving all members of mixed-race groups to take responsibility for a part of the lesson. They had to beome experts on their part and pass on the information to another group.
  3. Results: technique successful. Interview showed that self-esteem increased, enhanced liking of classmates.
  4. Conclusion: cooperation reduces prejudice between black and white students.
  5. Evaluation: took place in a school - may not apply to other environments. Texas - not generalisable to other countries. Unethical - students deceived. Benefit of unethical (reducing P+D) outways. If particapents didn't cooperate, common goal wouldn't be achieved and prejudice would increase.
Harwood
1. Theory
  1. Theory: Prejudice can be reduced by social contact - gives more information about others - breaks down stereotypes which lead to prejudice
  2. Evaluation: Black and White people in contact for years - still prejudiced - more techniques should be used e.g. law. White Americans seen as more dominant - prejudiced views more likely to be followed
2. Study
  1. Aim: To investigate children's views of the elderly
  2. Method: Asked children and grandparents about their relationships. Children asked opinion of the elderly in general.
  3. Results: Children with regular contact with grandparents had positive views.
  4. Conclusion: Contact with grandparents = good indicatpr of child's attitude towards elderly.
  5. Evaluation: Interviews - socially desirable answers - questions reliability of study. Study doesn't explain why those with no contact have good views and those with regular contact have bad views. Other variables should be considered.

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Reducing Prejudice and Discrimination.

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	Created by Lily Beaman almost 9 years ago

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