Realistic Conflict

The experiment was based on the Theory of Realistic Conflict. The researchers extended the theory to an institutional setting where groups are not actively involved in the decisions, but are targets of the decisions made by the authority of the institution which is known as the rector. The negative interdependence between the in-group (psychology) and a high or low status out-group (engineering vs nursing students) was established by the rector. The results of the experiment was that the competition that was induced by the rector was beneficial or detrimental for the in-group and that competition affects mutual attitudes, images, and behaviors of groups even though the groups are passive targets of the decisions made by the rector. Regardless
But the results show that this is more complex than the TRC. It was also learned that competition whether beneficial or detrimental it deteriorates the images and attitudes toward the high-status out-group. Deterioration is stronger than the loss of condition. They entered the 12 central tendency traits into a factor analysis to reduce the number of dependent variables and then grouped them into three factors. The first factor was positively defined by naive, lacking of confidence, and indecisive which was 35.6% of the explained variance. The second factor was tender,understanding, and generous which was 18.8% of the explained variance. The third factor was defined by dominant, rigid/strict and aggressive who had 11% of the explained variance and with these results they created four scales. To compare the effects of negative interdependence, the used stereotypes and attitudes toward out-groups as a baseline. Hypothesis 3 was proven when the participants described the high-status group (engineering) as more agential than the low status group. The low status group was described as more ineffective and communal causing the high-status group to be perceived as more homogeneous in the agency, ineffectiveness, and authoritarianism dimensions. The participants held more positive opinions of the higher status out-group. Hypothesis 1 was also proven when the differences between control and loss and control and gain were significant. Data disconfirm hypothesis 7 when it was a not significant in all cases where there were differences between gain and loss. There was no variation in the answers given by the participants. The authors also found that the effects of interdependence are qualified by the relative status of groups