
1. Social Psychology Chapter 13
Conflict & Peacemaking
2. Conflict Faces of the enemy (video)
A perceived incompatibility of actions or goals
Once again, perception is key
Conflict occurs on
A personal level (between two people)
A global level (between countries)
All levels in between (groups)
3. Conflicts as Caused by Social Dilemmas Social dilemmas: Tragedy of the commons
Occur when we pursue our self-interests ? collective problems for everybody
E.g.: As individuals, we don’t consider the impact of driving gas guzzling cars
Cumulatively, it is leading to a worldwide shortage of oil
E.g.: As individuals, we don’t think about how we each contribute to global warming
4. Resolving Social Dilemmas Laws and regulations
Have been implemented to reduce
Air pollution
Hunting of endangered species (so as to prevent the destruction of ecosystems)
The amount of natural resources destroyed (e.g. rainforests) or used up (water conservation)
5. Resolving Social Dilemmas When possible, make groups small
The less people in the group, the more responsible each person will feel
Small food supply available
Few people ration it better; we can identify with each other, forming a sense of “we”
Big group ? there’s not enough for all of us anyway ? I’ll grab what I can
6. Resolving Social Dilemmas Communicate with each other
Helps create a group identity
Allows for the development of norms and expectations
Breeds trust ? betterment of the group
Mistrust ? sense others won’t cooperate ? I won’t cooperate (I have to get what I can before others get it all) ? further mistrust
7. Resolving Social Dilemmas Change the payoff
Find a way to make cooperating more beneficial than one’s self-interests
E.g.: In Chicago, they are hoping to reduce traffic at tollbooths by making it cheaper to use I-Pass than to use coins
Payoff…less traffic backup ? getting where you’re going faster
8. Resolving Social Dilemmas Appeal to altruistic norms via communication
Use guilt
If you don’t agree to do this with us think of how you’ll feel
Appeal to their sense of fairness
Do you really want to act to benefit yourself when everyone else is working together for the benefit of the group
9. Resolving Social Dilemmas Altruistic behaviors
Behaviors that will bring harm (of some sort) to the individual in hopes that the larger group will benefit
E.g.: Gay pride marchers suffered ridicule and abuse so that other members of the homosexual community could gain a greater degree of acceptance
Rosa Parks bus ride
10. Competition Competition can lead to hostile behavior
Discuss Sherif’s “The Robbers Cave Experiment”
Competition can produce
Strong ingroup feelings but negative outgroup feelings
As group size increases, so does the level of competitiveness ? hostile behavior
Remember the effects of group polarization
11. Perceived Injustice When the perception is that
My outcomes/my inputs = your outcomes/your inputs, there should be no conflict (equity)
When the perception is that they are not equal, injustice can lead to conflict
If it unequal in your favor…well, that’s ok (but the other person may cause conflict)
If unequal in someone else’s favor…”Hey, that’s not fair. What’s up with that?”
12. Perceived Injustice We don’t go out of our way to be favored
But when it happens, we tend to accept the unequal treatment
We tend to rationalize the unequal treatment, especially if we’re not sure why we benefited more (it relieves guilt)
Well, all things considered, I do work harder than them. That’s why I got a bigger bonus
13. Perceived Injustice The reactions of the exploited
Can accept and rationalize the inequity
Well, I guess I got what I deserved. Heck, I was lucky to get this much
May demand compensation
It’s unfair and something needs to be done about it
May retaliate
Next time I’ll cut the pie. We’ll see what size piece you get then.
14. Perceived Injustice Today, women have more professional opportunities than ever before
Yet, they feel more unequal in status
They used to compare themselves to other women (as they shared the same kinds of work)
Now, women compare themselves to women and men
Still have problems getting equal pay for equal work
Still expected to do most of the housework, childrearing, etc.
15. Misperception Misperceptions can breed conflict due to
Self-justifying/self-serving behaviors
I got more because I deserve more
Fundamental attribution error
You took more because you’re evil and selfish
Groupthink and group polarization
I know we’ll all agree that we should do this
I think we deserve some more…I think we deserve a lot more…etc.
16. Misperception Mirror-image perceptions
Those we are in conflict with tend to view us as we view them
Group 1 thinks group 2 is manipulative, selfish, and deceitful, yet thinks good things about itself
Group 2 thinks that group 1 is manipulative, selfish and deceitful, yet thinks good things about itself
Yet, when the other group engages in a similar behavior, we view it differently (more hostile)
17. Misperception The problem with mirror-image perceptions is that they can lead to a vicious circle
Fred thinks Barney is acting selfishly when it comes to food. Barney thinks the same about Fred. Because of his belief about Barney, Fred starts hoarding food. Barney finds out Fred is hoarding food, which confirms his suspicions about Fred. Now Barney hoards food…
Thankfully, the Great Gazoo magically makes more food for Wilma, Betty, Pebbles and Bam Bam
18. Misperception Another problem with mirror image perceptions is that they lead to exaggerated beliefs
We tend to overestimate the other side’s view, seeing it as more extreme than it is
We only want what’s fair. They want it all.
We also believe that our facts and information are correct whereas they manipulate the facts
Think back to the 2000 election mess
19. Misperception Shifting perceptions
There is a tendency to shift perceptions, depending on how the wind blows
Many viewed France as an ally, until they would not support the U.S. and British position on Iraq
We used to arm and support Saddam Hussein when he was fighting Iran. My, how times have changed
20. Peacemaking: Making Nice-Nice Social psychologist have focused on 4 main techniques to help turn enemies into friends
The 4 Cs of peacemaking
Contact
Cooperation
Communication
Conciliation
21. Peacemaking…Making Nice:Contact We have previously established that proximity, mere exposure and interaction lead to liking
Given that, shouldn’t desegregation bring about less prejudicial behaviors?
Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t
22. Peacemaking…Making Nice:Contact Factors that improve attitudes among differing groups
The amount of contact
The more contact you have, the more you’ll see that your stereotypical beliefs are wrong
I thought all Black people liked watermelon. I guess I was wrong
The more contact you have, the more likely you are to become friends ? positive attitudes
23. Peacemaking…Making Nice:Contact Factors that improve attitudes among differing groups
For contact to improve attitudes, it must be equal-status contact
Relationships formed between people of similar status can help to change attitudes
Notice similarities ? “we” feelings
Relationships formed between people of unequal status perpetuate stereotypical beliefs
24. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Contact While contact can improve relations, it’s not always enough
Remember, impressions can be long-lasting
As a result, contact between rival groups can bring more conflict
This can further ingrain your belief that you were right about “them”
25. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Cooperation Cooperating against common external threats brings us closer
Don’t people who are facing the same threat or injustice band together?
Weren’t people, for the most part, friendlier to each other (for awhile) after 9/11/01?
People who live in communities ridden with drugs, prostitution, etc. band together to form neighborhood watch groups
26. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Cooperation Working toward superordinate goals can helps unify us, if the outcome is positive
Def.: A shared goal that can only be overcome through cooperation
Sherif used these types of goals to unite the Rattlers and Eagles
Moving a truck that had broken down, fixing the camp water supply ? breakdown of “we” and “them” ? formation of “us”
27. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Cooperation Working toward superordinate goals can cause greater conflict, if the outcome is negative
Had the Rattlers and Eagles not succeeded in fixing the water supply, moving the truck, etc. they likely would have
Blamed each other for the failures ? greater conflict
28. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Cooperation Uniting through cooperative learning
Students placed in racially mixed “learning teams” developed more positive racial attitudes
Became more more motivated to
Work together
Help each other
Support each other
View themselves as “we”
Same holds true for other types of diverse backgrounds (disabled, academic, ethnic, etc.)
29. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Cooperation Overall benefits of cooperative learning
Promotes academic achievement
Improves intergroup relations of those from diverse backgrounds
Improves self-esteem
Promotes liking and cross-racial friendships
Lessens prejudicial attitudes
30. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Communication Settling conflicts by use of bargaining
Occurs when conflicting sides meet with each other to negotiate an agreement
Sometimes demanding more gets you more
If you take an extreme position, and the other side wants to settle, your side may benefit
Sometimes demanding more backfires
If both sides are equally determined to “win,” negotiations can drag on, causing both sides to lose
31. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Communication Settling conflicts by use of mediation
A neutral third party is brought in an attempt to further communication and offer suggestions
Helps bring about a win/win situation (vs. win/lose)
Primary goal of the mediator is to get both sides to consider the other’s
Needs
Interests
Goals
32. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Communication Settling conflicts by use of mediation
Use of mediation can lead to integrative agreements (a win-win resolution)
Leads to mutual satisfaction
Promotes longer lasting relationships
E.g.: You got what you want and I got what I want. We should do business together more often
33. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Communication Communicating also helps breakdown misperceptions
Allows us to see the other side’s point of view
I can see how you would feel that way…
Open communication can also bring about feelings of trust
Given that, I can tell you are telling the truth…
34. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Communication Steps to mediation
Change win/lose attitude to win/win
Have each side rank their goals
Allows you to point out commonalities
Allows for concession on lesser goals, which shows the sides they can make progress
Help both sides understand the other’s position
Restrict arguments to factual information
Have them role play the oppositions side
35. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Communication Steps to mediation
Offer proposals that are mutually beneficial
More likely to be accepted when offered by a third party than if offered by one of the involve parties
Could lead to “what are they trying to get out of this” thinking
Start small and work your way up
Minor concessions ? agreement ? good faith ? agreement on bigger issues
36. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Communication Arbitration
Resolving a conflict by using a third party; both sides agree to accept the findings
Studies both side’s arguments
Makes a binding decision
The threat of arbitration often gets both sides to soften their positions and reach a settlement on their own
Few like to be told what to do/leave things to chance
37. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Conciliation GRIT
Graduated and reciprocated initiatives in tension reduction
A technique used to de-escalate tensions
Put simply, it is a technique whereby sides, at an impasse, decide to
Announce a concession
Make the concession
Wait for the other side to reciprocate
38. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Conciliation GRIT: An example that kept the peace
The Cuban Missile Crisis
Russia was putting missiles in Cuba
We were going to go to war to have them removed
The world was on the brink of nuclear annihilation (averted by about 2 days)
Russia said they would pull out missiles
We said we’ll pull out missiles located near Russia
Both sides took steps to pull out missiles
39. Peacemaking…Making Nice: Conciliation GRIT: An example that didn’t keep the peace
The War with Iraq (WMD ? War)
Bush: Destroy WMD and there’s no need for war
Hussein: I’ll get rid of WMD
Hussein: Noncompliance (inaction)
Bush: Step down and there’ll be no need for war
Hussein: I’m not going anywhere
Result ? War and Hussein’s removal from power