Social Key Question

Question 1

What is the social key question?

Answer 1

How can knowledge of social psychology be used to reduce conflict in situations such as rioting and crowd behaviour?

Question 2

A01:Examples of negative situations in society

Answer 2

-Rioting: London riots 2011, mark duggan shot by police, escalated from peaceful march for him to setting buildings on fire. US riots, LA massacre 200 people killed
-Football hooliganism: hillsborough disaster, crush at stadium. Clashes between fans, European countries throwing flares
-Protests: just stop oil throwing paint over Chelsea flower show, preventing tankers from leaving terminals

Question 3

A01: what is the impact that these negative situations have on society?

Answer 3

-Riots: 3000 arrests made, 5 people died, increased sentences, 6th sentence for stealing 3.50 worth of water, cost $227,000 for damage in Tottenham
-Football hooliganism: 97 deaths, 766 injures due to overcrowding
-Protests: cost police $3.5M in a month. 45 ppl arrested for breaching public order act. 11,000 police officer shifts lost. 78 marches. Prevent fuel from being transported.

Question 4

A01: what is crowd behaviour and what kind of negative impact does it have on wider society?

Answer 4

-Can breed and affirm stereotypes (upper class for just stop oil) increase stereotypes - mistrust that the public had with the police. Ruins events

Question 5

A01: Why does society need to sort crowd behaviour issue out?

Answer 5

-Hurts people, causes costs to repair, property, keep occurring in history so need to prevent, not going to fix if not aware.

Question 6

A02: Theories to use to explain the key question

Answer 6

-Social identity theory
-Realistic conflict theory
-Social impact theory

Question 7

Social identity theory: define concepts

Answer 7

-In-group and outgroup: group person belongs to and believes is superior, identity with and have similarities. Groups you don’t belong to, labelled, differences.
-Social comparison: increase self esteem, in group compares to outgroup. Show in group favouritism to own group even if not high status. Outgroup negative bias, accentuate their weaknesses.

Question 8

Social identity theory: how would concepts explain the cause of rioting hooliganism or protesting

Answer 8

In group and out group: villa may see themselves as in group and wolves outgroup, cause prej
Social comparison: team compare themselves to other team showing in group favouritism. Think they have better players even if don’t, neg outgroup bias, they play dirty if do well

Question 9

Realistic conflict theory: definitions of concepts

Answer 9

-Competition: in group and outgroup compete for the same resource, scarce make the competition more fierce
-Negative interdependence: in group see outgroup as barrier to reaching their goal so need to get rid of them
-Scarce resources: limited resources, more desirable. In and out group can’t both have it

Question 10

RCT: explaining cause

Answer 10

Competition: football. Both want to be the top of the league, compete to be the best, compete at who supports better team
Negative interdependence: protestors see gov as barrier to reaching their goal as don’t agree. Riots between races, see races as a barrier, taking jobs
Scarce resources: rioters trying to reach limited resource eg jobs, compete with others to get it.

Question 11

Social impact theory: concepts

Answer 11

-Number: ratio of targets to sources. How much social influence source has on the target. If adequate no of sources then the influence will be larger
-Immediacy: how close relationship between source and target distance and proximity. Greater proximity and relationship them more influence

Question 12

Social impact theory: concept explaining the cause

Answer 12

-Number: more protestors to to police so the effect of the police is reduced
-Immediacy: If police are less proximate then they will have less of an effect on protestors

Question 13

What are the ways to reduce conflict in social situations?

Answer 13

-Super-ordinate goals
-Increased contact
-Education
-Social impact theory

Question 14

Super ordinate goals: how does it aim to reduce conflict

Answer 14

-Give in and out-group a shared goal, both have to work together to achieve, can’t achieve on own, brings them together

Question 15

Practical example for super-ordinate goals

Answer 15

-Give protestors and gov shared goal of fixing the issue eg oil production together, reduce conflict

Question 16

How does increased contact aim to reduce conflict?

Answer 16

-If around other group may breakdown stereotypes which causes prejudice

Question 17

Practical example of increased contact

Answer 17

-More contact with other races (rioting) or different teams (football) can help them see the stereotype they have is not true

Question 18

How does education aim to reduce conflict?

Answer 18

-Jane Elliot: blue and brown eyed experiment. Make them experience being the outgroup to see how it can be destructive, simplistic characteristics

Question 19

Practical example of education

Answer 19

-Educate on prejudice towards other races, reduce riots

Question 20

How does social impact theory aim to reduce conflict?

Answer 20

-Strength: source has high authority
-Number: enough sources around target
-Immediacy: make sure source and target in close proximity

Question 21

Practical example of social impact theory

Answer 21

-Police wear uniforms, increase ratio of police to protestors or rioters, be physically closer so their authority is followed

Question 22

Evidence

Answer 22

-Sherif et al: supports that prej lead to rioting, when comp introduced burning flags and fought. Prej factor in behaviour between football teams. Supports that super-ordinate goals can reduce, pooling resources. Use with protestors
-Jane Elliot: education to reduce prejudice, split in groups and taught them prej wrong, put in same situation. Use to educate people on prej due to race and prevent riots or protests
-Levine: exp on football fans, watched stranger fall and injure. Manu shirt matching their club, diff condition wore LPool shirt. 92% helped manU only 30% helped Liverpool.

Question 23

Comparisons and credibility

Answer 23

-Wrong to assume rioting caused by just group beh. Indiv diffs like personality can cause rioting and protests. Those w AP have high prej. Project feelings of inadequacy
-can’t assume super ordinate will be successful as groups may not work together. Lead to more prej as don’t want to associate, reinforces stereotypes. Isn’t always goal t be reached.

Question 24

How good is the research?

Answer 24

-Sherif: high EV. Field. Summer camp. Typical of competitions. Ways of reducing are applicable.
-Sherif: low gen as sample of 22 boys. Can’t gen to women or older people