So, you’re from Brixton?

The following mock Paper 3 is based on “prejudice and discrimination” in the human relationships
option.

The following is a sample Paper 3 that

looks at focus groups. Below you will first
find the stimulus piece, followed by the
static questions.

In order to study how outsiders’ prejudices about one’s in-group affects one’s self-
esteem and identity, Howarth (2002) conducted a series of focus group interviews
with adolescents from Brixton. On the one hand, Brixton is a multi-cultural
neighborhood with a vibrant community. On the other hand, this London
neighborhood has high levels of violent and drug-related crime. The media portrays
the neighorbood and the people who live there as threatening, aggressive and
criminal. Howarth wanted to investigate whether young people felt proud or
ashamed of their association with Brixton.

The purposive sample was taken from the three secondary schools in Brixton. The 44
participants all lived in Brixton and were friends with others in the study. The
researcher selected girls and boys of different ages (12 – 16), from diverse
backgrounds (African, African-Caribbean, Asian, British and European – with many
having multicultural heritage) with the goal of representing a range of personal
experiences in the community. In the study, the names of the participants and their
schools were changed to protect their anonymity.

The researcher ran a series of eight focus group sessions, each with an average of
five participants in each group. The focus groups were organized into friendship
groups to allow the participants to feel more comfortable in their discussions.

The researcher began by asking, “Tell me about Brixton – what it is like for you to live
here and how people outside Brixton think about Brixton.” The researcher then used an
interview agenda with specific topics that were to be discussed, including
community, inclusion, exclusion, identity, ethnicity, the media, the school, prejudice
and racism. All focus groups were recorded and the researcher carried out an
inductive content analysis to interpret the data.

© John Crane, InThinking
http://www.thinkib.net/psychology/ 1


To triangulate the data, five interviews were also conducted with head teachers of
Brixton secondary schools. Interviews with the head teachers were conducted so that
the researcher could gain some insight into students from Brixton.

In the final report, the researcher carried out reflexivity. She writes, “As a white
female researcher, with an expatriate past and a middle-class accent, my own social position
impacts the research relationship. Recognising the differences between us, highlighting my
ignorance and asking participants to share their stories with me proved to be rewarding.”

The researcher drew several conclusions from the focus groups.

Both students and teachers felt the effects of prejudice from people outside of
Brixton. This was particularly true in work-experience where many students felt
that if they disclosed where they were from, they would not be hired or trusted. This
was especially true of young males.

A common response to the prejudice and discrimination that they experience is

anger and depression. As angry and aggressive behaviour are part of the stigma of
being from Brixton, it is difficult for students from the area not to conform to
prejudiced expectations.

The school and the family play a critical role in the development of a positive sense
of identity. In order to overcome the effects of prejudice children need secure social
relationships.
Howarth (2002). ‘So, you're from Brixton?' The struggle for recognition and esteem in a stigmatized
community.

Questions

1a. Identify the method used and outline two characteristics of the method.
Focus Group
1b. Describe the sampling method used in the study. -
-

1c. Suggest an alternative or additional research method giving one reason for your
choice.

2. Describe the ethical considerations that were applied in the study and explain if
further ethical considerations could be applied.

3. Discuss how a researcher could ensure that the results of the study are credible.

© John Crane, InThinking
http://www.thinkib.net/psychology/ 2