Realistic conflict theory, also called realistic group conflict theory, is a social psychological model of intergroup conflict. It explains how hostility between groups can arise from conflicting goals and competition over limited resources, and it offers an account of the prejudice and discrimination toward an outgroup that accompanies that hostility. Groups may compete for a real or merely perceived scarcity of resources such as money, political power, military protection or social status, and resentment tends to build when the competing groups perceive the outcome as zero-sum, so that one group's gain of the resource necessarily means the other group's loss.
Facts
Core ClaimIntergroup hostility arises from conflicting goals and competition over limited resources. 1 Connections
Associated With
Walter and Cookie Stephan's integrated threat theory explicitly incorporates realistic threat, drawn from Muzafer Sherif's realistic conflict theory, as one of its named component threat types alongside symbolic threat.
Developed By
Muzafer Sherif formulated realistic conflict theory from his Robbers Cave experiment, showing that competition for scarce resources between groups produces intergroup hostility.
Sources
1. Realistic conflict theory, Wikipedia
Lead section, paragraph 1Quote, Lead section, paragraph 1
The theory explains how intergroup hostility can arise as a result of conflicting goals and competition over limited resources
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