A science experiment on groups
of boys from competing camps, who have no idea they’re being manipulated into
fighting each other — what was that all about? In the summer of 1954, a school bus with a
group of 11- and 12-year old boys arrived at Robbers Cave State Park in Oklahoma. What
the kids didn’t know: there was another bus. All the boys thought they were
going camping. Their parents at home believed the sponsored trip
had something to do with leadership. None of them knew that the camp
staff were actually researchers, and the boys’ part of a controversial experiment.
One of its goals: let the boys fight each other. The Robbers Cave Experiment was
designed to unfold in three stages: in-group formation, friction,
and conflict resolution. It started with "in-group formation".
In the first week each group did various activities without interacting with another.
The boys had fun, went swimming and did hikes. Over time social norms developed.
Leaders and followers emerged. The boys formed friendships and started
inventing their own subculture. Eventually they came up with names. One group
called themselves the eagles and the others chose to be the rattlers. They stenciled their
names onto shirts and flags. The in-groups were formed. The tribes had an identity.
They were now ready to meet each other. During the "friction phase", the two
groups came into contact with each other. The researchers set up competitions with
single prizes for the winners. In other words, they established a limited resource
for the two to battle over. It didn’t take long before the
in-groups developed negative attitudes towards the outgroup. Prejudice
became apparent. To make matters worse, the staff suggested to one group, to dump
buckets of mud inside the cabin of the others. Eventually the kids grew hateful, violent,
and verbally abusive. They burned each other's flags and sometimes things escalated to the
point that the camp staff had to step in. Last was conflict resolution. The boys were meant to make peace. First the staff tried to
reduce the prejudice between the groups, by increasing contact and communication.
But that just made matters worse. Then the researchers blocked the valve to
the camp’s water tank. As there was no more drinking water, the boys became progressively
thirstier. Then the camp staff suggested that they all needed to collaborate to fix the problem.
Reluctantly, the groups started to get to work. Before long the boys were mixing and cooperating.
There were no Rattlers or Eagles any more, only a bunch of campers collaborating. When the water
finally came through, there was common rejoicing. The researchers learned four
key things from the experiment. First: Individual differences are not
responsible for tribal conflicts. Age, race, culture or religion don’t seem to
matter. Second, hostile attitudes arise when groups compete for resources that only one
of them can get. Third, discussions don’t solve conflicts. Fourth, only a common goal or enemy
that promotes cooperation reduces the friction. Two renowned psychologists, Muzafer Sherif
and his wife Carolyn Wood Sherif were behind the controversial experiment
and later established a theory. Realistic conflict theory explains how
hostility arises as a result of competition for limited resources, such as money, power,
military protection, or social status. Whether these resources are actually limited or
just perceived to be so, doesn’t matter. Their work helps us understand the mechanisms
of discrimination against outsiders, which escalates during shortages. For example, when in-groups think that good jobs are hard
to find, they often try to remove sources of out-group competition, lobby for legal
restrictions, or deny newcomers access. What do you think? Do tribal conflicts
only arise as a result of competition for scarce goods? And if so, are shared goals and
common enemies really the only way to peace? Or is the theory flawed and not
applicable to adults? After all, children are easier to influence
— not only to build a prejudice, but also to change their ideas again later.
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