ROBBERS CAVE

EXPERIMENT

REALISTIC CONFLICT
THEORY

Robbers Cave Experiment

MUZAFER SHERIF

1906 - 1988

THREE PHASES OF THE EXPERIMENT

IN-GROUP FORMATION - THIS PHASE INVOLVES THE
EXPERIMENTAL CREATION OF IN-GROUPS THROUGH
ACTIVITIES THAT WILL PROMOTE GROUP IDENTIFICATION.
FRICTION PHASE - THIS PHASE INVOLVES BRINGING TWO
EXPERIMENTALLY FORMED GROUPS INTO CONFLICT WITH
EACH OTHER OR FORMING INTERGROUP TENSION.
INTEGRATION PHASE - THIS PHASE INVOLVES BRINGING THE
TWO PREVIOUSLY CONFLICTING GROUPS INTO COOPERATION
THROUGH THE ATTAINMENT OF SUPERORDINATE GOALS.

22 SUBJECTS

11-12 YEARS

SIMILARITY

ROLE OF STAFF

LOCATION

FACILITIES

IN-GROUP FORMATION

GROUP
FORMATION

RATTLERS AND
EAGLES

TEAM SPIRIT

FRICTION PHASE

ENCOUNTER

COMPETITION FOR
RESOURCES

CONFLICT ESCALATION

INTEGRATION PHASE

COOPERATION

SUPERORDINATE
GOALS

JOINT ACTIVITIES

CONCLUSIONS

FORMATION OF GROUP ORGANIZATION AND NORMS

IN-GROUP COOPERATIVENESS IS NOT DIRECTLY TRANSFERABLE
THE INTRODUCTION OF SUPERORDINATE GOALS
THE SAME TOOLS MAY SERVE INTERGROUP CONFLICT OR COOPERATION

REFERENCES
INTERGROUP CONFLICT AND COOPERATION: THE ROBBERS CAVE EXPERIMENT MUZAFER
SHERIF, O. J. HARVEY, B. JACK WHITE, WILLIAM R. HOOD, CAROLYN W. SHERIF (1954/1961)
HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/REALISTIC_CONFLICT_THEORY#ROBBERS_CAVE_STUDY
HTTP://EN.WIKIPEDIA.ORG/WIKI/MUZAFER_SHERIF
HTTP://YOUARENOTSOSMART.COM/2011/08/21/THE-ILLUSION-OF-ASYMMETRIC-INSIGHT/
HTTP://WWW.SPRING.ORG.UK/2007/09/WAR-PEACE-AND-ROLE-OF-POWER-IN-SHERIFS.PHP
HTTP://
SPARKLEYFINGER.HUBPAGES.COM/HUB/THE-PSYCHOLOGY-BEHIND-PREJUDICE-AND-DISCRI
MINATION
HTTPS://EXPLORABLE.COM/ROBBERS-CAVE-EXPERIMENT