Robbers Cave Experiment

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Social psychology research studies has given and impacted the world as a whole through answering questions and testing ideas about the world that will benefit society. The Robbers Cave Experiment is an example of a research study. The following cave experiment was conducted for support to the realistic conflict theory. The experiment changed perspectives, gave professionals a new idea to support/criticize, and impacted the world as a whole. The Robbers Cave Experiment was conducted/initiated by Muzar Sherif and Carolyn Wood Sherif. The experiment occurred in 1954, at a summer camp in Oklahoma, over the span of three months. For the experiment, they used twenty-two young boys between the age of eleven and twelve as the subjects. Each of the …show more content…
During this phase both groups were introduced to each other. Soon after both groups meet each other, name calling began. Names like “intruder and outsider” were tossed between the two groups. Next the initiators decided to see if the conflict would be able to increase, so they decided to host a series of competitions. To rise the stakes of the competitions awards were given out to the group who won. Soon after the start of the competitions conflict began to rise between the groups, more name calling, more hostility, and aggressive behavior were exchanged between the two. The dislike between each other even came to the point of not wanting to coexist with each other; for example, not wanting to eat in the same lunch room …show more content…
The last step between the groups was trying to install peace. Firstly the experimenters tried to bring the group together by making them watch movies together or small outings together etc. Unlike they thought, the experimenters approach was not successful. As a result, they decided to change their method and create a situation that requires both groups to work together. After the groups were put into more situations together they became more cooperative with each other. As all the “accidental” situations came to a close the groups even began to eat in the same room together again and when going back home they even decided to ride in the same bus. The study demonstrates how groups preferably favor their own members and how conflicts can be resolved by teamwork on a common task that a group is not able to complete on their own. Furthermore, the study also determined that individual differences are not necessary or needed for conflict within a group to occur. Lastly the experiment concluded that even if one coexists with others that does not mean that attitudes will change from negative to
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