Intergroup Conflict and Cooperation: The Robbers Cave Experiment

by Muzafer Sherif, O. J. Harvey, B. Jack White, Willi

In 1954, Muzafer Sherif and Carolyn Sherif studied the origin of prejudice in social groups in a classic study called the Robbers Cave Experiment. They conducted their research in a 200 acres (0.8 km2) summer camp which was completely surrounded by Robbers Cave State Park in Oklahoma. During the study, Sherif posed as a camp janitor. The study team screened a group of 22 eleven-year-old boys with similar backgrounds. They were picked up by two buses carrying 11 boys each. Neither group knew...