Recap what Sherif showed in his Robber’s Cave experiment when the boys were put into contact with each other.
In part two of the study, the researchers introduced conflict through games and the boys started to call each other names, refusing contact with the opposing group and they even turned against their previous friends. Results showed that solidarity increased within each group and they showed hostility towards the other group such as stealing other’s flag and setting fire to it. The conflicts resulted in fights and bullying. This confirms that conflict and negative attitudes between groups can arise from group identity and fighting for resources.
Recap how stereotypes are formed. Can you explain how such an explanantion fits with the idea that stereotyping may be strongest when cultures are in more direct contact with each other?
Stereotypes are usually a form of social categorization made about specific individuals or groups, which guide how people act towards them. Stereotyping can be the strongest when globalization happens. This is because cultures are more in direct contact with each other and so sometimes, people may generalize when you come in contact. This is due to the fact that these people who come in contact with other cultures are more aware of the cultural differences which makes them categorize their in-groups from their out-group, and thus, resulting in stereotypes.
Recap Hofstede’s cultural dimensions and recognize why these misattributions of culture-based behaviors may occur:
These cultural dimensions are usually what shapes the person’s identity because these dimensions are very strong influences on their personal culture. One would be from a collectivist culture so he/she would not be used to how things work in the individualistic culture, hence, one would be able to stereotype or misperceive their out-groups/foreigners as something negative because they were brought up to think that their cultural influence is right. They would have their own intepretations of things that are alien or unusual to them and so they could have misconceptions about it because they don’t understand it.
