Name: robbers cave and group conflict
Uploaded: 2020-02-12T11:07:45.000Z
Duration: 4 min 49 s
Channel: JoVE

Nel 1954, quello che era iniziato come un campo estivo nel Robbers Cave State Park in Oklahoma emerse come un famoso studio sul campo sull'identità sociale e le relazioni tra gruppi.

Basandosi su lavori precedenti, Muzafer Sherif e colleghi hanno testato la teoria realistica del conflitto, un'idea secondo cui gli individui che devono lottare per risorse scarse, percepite o reali, iniziano a mostrare tendenze competitive e atteggiamenti negativi di conseguenza.

Prima di arrivare, i ricercatori hanno selezionato con cura 22 ragazzi di quinta elementare di estrazione socioculturale e personale simili e li hanno assegnati in modo casuale a uno dei due gruppi.

Tutti i soggetti erano sconosciuti l'uno all'altro, oltre che ignari dello scopo dell'esperimento e del fatto che sarebbero stati osservati e registrati in modo evidente dai ricercatori che erano camuffati da membri del "personale del campo".

Durante la prima fase di formazione all'interno del gruppo, i bambini di 11-12 anni sono arrivati su autobus separati, senza sapere dell'esistenza degli altri, poiché erano ospitati in siti isolati. Sono stati indirizzati a legare all'interno del loro gruppo mentre partecipavano ad attività, come l'escursionismo e la canoa.

Durante la loro prima settimana insieme, i ragazzi sono entrati in contatto e hanno stabilito le norme del gruppo, cantando canzoni e giocando, così come le loro identità. Ora sono gli Eagles e i Rattlers.

Per preparare la parte successiva, ai Rattlers è stato permesso di vagare vicino al campo da baseball, a distanza per sentire gli Eagles giocare. All'allenamento del giorno successivo, i Rattlers dichiararono apertamente il campo "loro".

Per la seconda fase, quella dell'attrito intergruppo, lo staff ha annunciato ufficialmente la presenza di un altro gruppo. Questa rivelazione ha suscitato una maggiore consapevolezza del "noi" contro "loro", ed entrambe le squadre sono andate avanti con un'entusiastica rivalità.

In una serie di eventi, i gruppi si sarebbero sfidati in un torneo di attività, come il baseball e il tiro alla fune. Mentre la maggior parte dei risultati sono stati determinati dalla squadra vittoriosa, alcune occasioni, come le ispezioni in cabina, sono state giudicate dallo staff per mantenere i punti totali stretti e le squadre motivate a vincere.

Nel corso della settimana successiva, entrambe le parti hanno partecipato a numerosi episodi di insulti e umiliazioni, anche tra i campeggiatori che non erano così attivi nella partecipazione fisica.

Con il passare dei giorni, le frustrazioni dei perdenti divennero più fisiche: gli Eagles bruciarono la bandiera del Rattler e, a loro volta, i membri si vendicarono; la sportività era in declino, mentre si avvicinava l'odore della vittoria; e le tattiche sleali colsero i fiduciosi Rattlers fuori equilibrio.

L'umore, ora ostile, favorì il saccheggio delle cabine: i letti furono rovesciati e le proprietà furono rubate, compresi i fumetti. E infatti, le incursioni sono diventate un evento reciproco mentre il torneo stava volgendo al termine.

Chi avrebbe prevalso dipendeva dall'ultimo evento, una caccia al tesoro. All'insaputa dei campeggiatori, la squadra vincitrice è stata determinata dai ricercatori, che hanno manipolato i percorsi.

Nei giorni successivi alla vittoria e alla sconfitta, i ricercatori hanno dedicato del tempo a tutti per rinfrescarsi e godersi le attività di gruppo, tra cui il nuoto civile in spiaggia.

Al termine della seconda fase, i gruppi sono stati nuovamente posti in prossimità fisica l'uno dell'altro e il loro comportamento è stato osservato. Le loro risposte hanno confermato la tendenza a classificare favorevolmente il proprio all'interno del gruppo, indicando relazioni di gruppo positive, e l'esterno sfavorevolmente, evidenziando la persistenza degli atteggiamenti negativi tra i gruppi.

Per la fase finale, la fase di integrazione intergruppi, i ricercatori hanno creato numerose situazioni non competitive in cui i due avrebbero dovuto lavorare insieme per raggiungere obiettivi comuni, obiettivi sovraordinati, nel tentativo di riconciliare gli atteggiamenti e i comportamenti dei gruppi. Ad esempio, il camion del campo era bloccato e tutti hanno dovuto tirare il veicolo per farlo partire.

Ben presto, la divisione tra "noi" e "loro" scomparve, insieme all'ostilità tra i gruppi. I ragazzi hanno concluso il loro soggiorno con positività, lasciando il campo su un autobus.

Alla fine, l'uso della cooperazione per raggiungere obiettivi condivisi può dissolvere i nemici percepiti in amici e abbattere le barriere sociali che potrebbero alimentare i conflitti.

Sherif, M., Harvey, O. J., White, B. J., et al. (1988). L'esperimento della grotta dei ladri: conflitto e cooperazione tra gruppi. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press

Sherif, M. (1956). Esperimenti nel conflitto di gruppo. Scientific American, 195(5), 54-59. Estratto da www.jstor.org/stable/24941808

Gaertner, S. L., Dovido, J. F., Banker, B. S., et al. (2000). Ridurre il conflitto tra gruppi: dagli obiettivi sovraordinati alla decategorizzazione, alla ricategorizzazione e alla differenziazione reciproca. Dinamiche di gruppo, teoria, ricerca e pratica, 4(1), 98-114. DOI: 10.1037//1089-2699.4.1.98

Kelly, S. & Collett, J. L. (2008). Da C. P. Ellis all'integrazione scolastica: la psicologia sociale della riduzione dei conflitti. Bussola di sociologia, 2(5), 1638-1654. DOI:10.1111/j.1751-9020.2008.00154.x

Mannix, R. & Nagler, J. (2017). Tribalismo in medicina – Noi contro Loro. JAMA Pediatria, 171(9), 831. DOI:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.1280

Creasy, T. & Kinard, J. (2013). Fusioni e acquisizioni nel settore sanitario: implicazioni della teoria realistica del conflitto nella caverna dei ladri e nella teoria dei giochi del dilemma del prigioniero. Il responsabile dell'assistenza sanitaria, 32(1), 5-68. DOI: 10.1097/HCM.0b013e31827EDADD

Spini, D., Elcheroth, G. & Fasel, R. (2008). L'impatto delle norme di gruppo e delle generalizzazioni dei rischi tra i gruppi sui giudizi del comportamento di guerra. Psicologia politica, 29(6), 919-941. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9221.2008.00673.x

l'esperimento della grotta dei ladroni (robbers cave)

Robbers Cave

During the 1950s, the landmark Robbers Cave experiment demonstrated that when groups must compete with one another, intergroup conflict, hostility, and even violence may result. At the Oklahoman summer camp, two troops of boys&mdash;termed the Rattlers and the Eagles&mdash;took part in a week-long tournament. During this time, their negativity culminated in derogatory name-calling, fistfights, and even vandalism and destruction of property. However, this work also revealed that such tension could be lessened through the implementation of superordinate goals, or objectives that, in order to be reached, require groups to work together in a positive manner. For example, during the Robbers Cave study, along with teaming up to help start a truck, both the Rattlers and Eagles pooled their money to view a popular movie at the time, Treasure Island (Sherif, Harvey, White, et al., 1988; see also Sherif, 1956). Although the Robbers Cave study only focused on two small groups, its insight into the formation and remediation of intergroup conflict is still applicable today.

Mechanisms of Action of Superordinate Goals 

While the common goals introduced in the Robbers Cave experiment helped to unite the Rattlers and Eagles, the question arose as to how this was possible. More recent research has suggested that this outcome may result from changes in how groups categorize one another (Gaertner, Dovido, Banker, et al., 2000). On the one hand, when two groups come together during a subordinate goal, this behavior results in one-on-one interactions between members. Instead of an &ldquo;us&rdquo; and &ldquo;them&rdquo; mentality, individuals get to learn about one another&mdash;like each other&rsquo;s favorite games, friends, sports, and home life. This process decategorizes a member of a different group; they are seen as a distinct person, rather than part of a &ldquo;them&rdquo; enemy faction.

In addition, when groups unite under a common goal, people recategorize one another as having the same identity (Gaertner, Dovido, Banker, et al., 2000; see also Kelly &amp; Collett, 2008). For example, when the Rattlers and Eagles joined together to help start a truck needed to procure provisions, they may not have seen themselves as &ldquo;us&rdquo; and &ldquo;them&rdquo; cliques, but rather as members of the same camp working together to solve a problem affecting everyone. This recategorization was also observed at the end of the study when campers rode home together on a single bus singing the song &ldquo;Oklahoma.&rdquo; Here, everyone was united and shared a collective identity&mdash;both as members of the same camp, and (on a larger scale) as Oklahomans, with pride in their home state. Thus, through fostering decategorization and recategorization of group members, subordinate goals can help lessen conflict.

Applications of Lessons from Robbers Cave

Intergroup conflict occurs in different walks of life: schools (Kelly &amp; Collett, 2008), workplaces (Mannix &amp; Nagler, 2017), healthcare systems (Creasy &amp; Kinard, 2013), and even between nations in the form of outright warfare (Spini, Elcheroth &amp; Fasel, 2008). Some researchers are looking at how lessons learned during the Robbers Cave experiment&mdash;such as using superordinate goals to reduce hostility&mdash;may be employed to improve relationships between individuals in these different fields.

For example, some work has focused on how healthcare mergers&mdash;like when two hospitals combine into one&mdash;are affected by intergroup conflict (Creasy &amp; Kinard, 2013). This process can be complicated if employees of the respective facilities adopt an &ldquo;us vs. them&rdquo; mentality, which can breed suspicion and dislike, resulting in parties failing to exchange patient or operational information. This reaction may be due, in part, to workers feeling that they compete for a limited number of jobs in the newly-merged entity. To combat this thinking, solutions such as reassuring employees that their jobs are secure and emphasizing superordinate goals&mdash;like providing stellar, accessible care for all patients&mdash;may help to reduce conflict.

Other work has focused on means to lessen conflict in desegregated schools, where negative interactions may occur between children of different racial or ethnic groups (Kelly &amp; Collett, 2008). Here, superordinate goals&mdash;like those related to extracurricular activities&mdash;are again emphasized as a way to improve student relations. For example, camaraderie and respect can be fostered amongst the members of a football team who experience the superordinate goal of winning games. Possibly, these positive interactions can also be reinforced by highlighting each individual&rsquo;s unique contribution to the team, and the fact that all players share a unique identity&mdash;they are all members of (and represent) the same school. Thus, by applying principles of the Robbers Cave experiment, intergroup hostilities experienced in today&rsquo;s society can be lessened, and friendships may be fostered between individuals of different backgrounds.

L'esperimento della grotta dei ladroni (Robbers Cave)

Durante gli anni '1950, l'esperimento di Robbers Cave dimostrò che quando i gruppi devono competere tra loro, il conflitto tra gruppi, l'ostilità e ...

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robbers cave and group conflict

The Robbers Cave study shows how group conflict can grow when teams are forced to compete. In the 1950s, two boys’ groups at an Oklahoma summer camp, called the Rattlers and the Eagles, entered a week-long tournament. As the competition continued, their hostility grew into name-calling, fistfights, vandalism, and damage to property.

The study also showed one way to reduce that tension. Researchers used superordinate goals, which are shared goals that groups can only reach by working together. In the Robbers Cave experiment, the boys teamed up to push a truck and pooled their money to watch the movie Treasure Island.

These shared tasks helped change how the groups saw each other. One effect was decategorization, where people start to see members of the other group as separate individuals instead of as part of an enemy “them.” Another effect was recategorization, where both groups begin to see themselves as part of one larger “we,” such as the same camp or, in this case, Oklahomans riding home together on one bus and singing “Oklahoma.”

The lessons from Robbers Cave still matter today. Intergroup conflict can appear in schools, workplaces, healthcare systems, and even wars between nations. Researchers have used this idea to think about hospital mergers, where workers may suspect one another and avoid sharing patient or work information if they feel they are competing for jobs. Reassuring employees that their jobs are secure and stressing a shared goal, like giving all patients strong and accessible care, may help lower conflict.

The same idea can also help in desegregated schools, where students from different racial or ethnic groups may have negative interactions. Superordinate goals linked to extracurricular activities can improve relationships. A football team, for example, can bring students together around the shared goal of winning games. Teachers can also strengthen respect by showing how each player contributes and by emphasizing that everyone represents the same school.

Robbers Cave and Group Conflict

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In-group bias and scapegoating help explain how people react to groups they belong to and groups they see as different. An in-group is a group a person identifies with or feels part of. An out-group is a group a person does not belong to and sees as fundamentally different. People often use group membership as part of their identity and self-esteem. Gender, race, age, and social economic group can all serve as in-groups. For example, if a person is female, females are the in-group and males...

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How Bias Shapes Social Group Behavior

Prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination are ways bias can shape how people think and act toward social groups. Social groups help form identity, and people can belong to many groups at once, including gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, social class, religion, sexual orientation, and profession. Differences can be hard for some people to accept, but education, contact, and relationships with other cultural groups can reduce prejudice. Even imagining a positive interaction with someone from...

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robbers cave

The Robbers Cave study shows how group conflict can grow when teams are forced to compete. In the 1950s, two boys’ groups at an Oklahoma summer camp, called the Rattlers and the Eagles, entered a week-long tournament. As the competition continued, their hostility grew into name-calling, fistfights, vandalism, and damage to property. The study also showed one way to reduce that tension. Researchers used superordinate goals, which are shared goals that groups can only reach by working together.

stereotype threat and self-fulfilling prophecies

stereotype-threat-and-self-fulfilling-prophecies

How Stereotypes Shape Behavior

Stereotypes can shape behavior through self-fulfilling prophecy and confirmation bias. A self-fulfilling prophecy happens when an expectation changes how someone acts, and that behavior helps make the expectation come true. When people hold stereotypes about others, they may treat them in ways that match those expectations. That treatment can then push the other person to act in the same way, which seems to confirm the stereotype. A classic study by Rosenthal and Jacobson in 1968 showed this...

key terms and concepts

Learn how the Robbers Cave study showed that competition can fuel conflict and how shared goals, like teamwork, can reduce hostility.

Robbers Cave and Group Conflict | JoVE K12

JoVE Core Social Psychology offers a comprehensive learning experience on the principles of social behavior through concise, animated video lessons. The series explores key topics such as self-concept, social cognition, group dynamics, stereotypes, and relationships. It provides a structured foundation for understanding human behavior in social situations. Students gain insights into how individuals think, feel, and behave in social contexts while examining the psychological processes that influence interactions and judgments. By integrating theory with real-world applications, these lessons offer a clear and engaging approach to mastering essential concepts in social psychology.

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Robbers Cave and Group Conflict

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