Social Approach Contributions to Society

Reducing Prejudice

• Social Identity Theory (Tajfel) suggests that prejudice comes from people identifying with their in-group and to raise their own self-esteem and that of their in-group they discriminate against they out-group. The theory suggests that they should merge into one in-group to reduce prejudice.

• Social Conflict Theory (Sherif) suggests that prejudice comes from a competition between the two groups because of a fight over resources and to reduce prejudice the two groups should work together towards a common goal.

• It applies to real life as football hooliganism is a problem, combining teams (i.e. England instead of Premier League), reducing prejudice as everyone is working towards a common goal. Also, not wearing team shirts would reduced discrimination as groups cannot be identified.

Strengths

• Sherif (1954) study - 2 groups had to work together to solve a common problem, out of this friendships developed, prejudice was reduced. This was a field experiment, so variables were controlled, leading to cause and effect conclusions…