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Realistic Conflict Theory: Why Hongkongers Hold High Level Of Competition Between Groups

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Hongkongers may hold high levels of anti-immigrant attitudes towards mainland immigrants as they perceive them to be a threat towards existing resources. One explanation for why creates prejudice between groups comes from Realistic Conflict Theory which is a theory coined by Donald Campbell (1965) that uses the principles of evolutionary psychology to explain the real-world examples of conflict between two groups or more around the world today (Jackson, 1993; Sidanius & Pratto, 1999; Whitley & Kite, 2010). It argues that the prejudice and conflict as a result of competition between groups for actual or perceived scarce resources such as welfare, housing or jobs (Jackson, 1993). Also, feelings of resentment and hostility towards competing groups …show more content…

These ideas were evident in the Robbers Cave experiment, led by Muzafer and Carolyn Sherif in 1954 (Sherif, Harvey, White & Hood, 1961). As seen in the study when the boys were competing in camp games for valued prizes, Sherif noted that hostile and aggressive attitudes toward an outgroup arise when groups compete for resources that only one group can attain (Sherif, Harvey, White & Hood, 1961). In the case of Hong Kong, residents with prejudice against Chinese immigrants because they believe they are coming over here to take their resources. Sze Lai-shan of the Hong Kong Society for Community Organization (SoCO) said that public opinion towards new arrivals prevailing in our society was very negative and new arrivals were always labeled as ‘welfare dependent’ and seems as ‘job competitors’ by local inhabitants (Lung, 2002). First, the Census and Statistics Department (2007) showed that new immigrants from mainland China had less than 8% of education level at post-secondary in 2006. Their education level is generally lower than local inhabitants or even have no education, so the majority of residents living in public housing are new immigrants and their social status is mostly low (Kennedy,

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