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
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.
Study
Aim: to see if he
could get the boys to
be friends
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.
Results: successful because the task couldn't
be completed without effort from all.
Conclusion: cooperation on an important
task reduces prejudice between groups
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
Theory
Theory: Empathy can reduce P+D. Involved children experienceing
empathy. Showed a redution in prejudice due to experiences.
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.
Study
Aim: to see if empathy
reduces prejudice
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.
Results: Immediate reaction. Blue
eyed delighted, arrogant, vicious.
Brown eyed angry, saddened,
confused, withdrawn. Fights broke
out. The next day, feelings swapped.
Conclusion: Experiencing
empathy reduces prejudice
and discrimination. Children
grew up more tolerant
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
Theory
Theory: cooperation reduces prejudice
between groups. Developed 'jigsaw method'
between black and white children. they had to
work together to achieve a common goal.
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.
Study
Aim: To eliminate prejudice between
black and white students in Texas, USA.
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.
Results: technique successful. Interview
showed that self-esteem increased,
enhanced liking of classmates.
Conclusion: cooperation reduces
prejudice between black and white
students.
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
Theory
Theory: Prejudice can be
reduced by social contact
- gives more information
about others - breaks
down stereotypes which
lead to prejudice
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
Study
Aim: To investigate
children's views of the
elderly
Method: Asked
children and
grandparents about
their relationships.
Children asked
opinion of the
elderly in general.
Results: Children
with regular
contact with
grandparents had
positive views.
Conclusion: Contact with
grandparents = good indicatpr of
child's attitude towards elderly.
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.