Tajfel Study (socio)

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To investigate if intergroup discrimination occurs between assigned groups (minimal groups)

Question 2

Procedure

Answer 2

• sample consists of 64 teenage boys who are randomly allocated into two groups (deception used in a dot estimation test)
• participants must assign points or deduct points from other boys from their own group and the other group with a series of matrices
• they cannot assign points to themselves but they know they will receive money for points in the end
• tajfel studied whether boys assign rewards or penalties to their in or out-group

Question 3

Findings

Answer 3

• Majority of boys awarded points to members of their ingroup rather than the outgroup
• boys could have tried to just maximize the entire profit for the experiment (ingroup and outgroup) or maximize fairness but they did not
• when there no distinction between in and outgroup, boys tended to try to be “fair”
• demonstrated that a “minimal” group is all that is required for participants to show favourtism towards their ingroup and discrimination against an outgroup
• supports theory that conflict can occur even when there is no previous prejudice or competition

Question 4

Strengths

Answer 4

• Easy to replicate
• Use of inducements (motivation to maximize profit for group) - boys awarded 1/10th of a cent for each point, could result in approx $1, todays value approx $6

Question 5

Limitations

Answer 5

• lacks ecological validity
• Sampling bias: British boys only
• Internal validity
• Expectancy effect

Question 6

Ethical Considerations

Answer 6

• Use of inducements
• Deception

Question 7

Research Method

Answer 7

Experiment