TOPIC 1: SOCIAL IDENTITY

who came up with the self categorization theory

turner

what is the self categorization theory

a theory that posits that we as people categorize ourselves differently based on different contexts. they are:

individual - subordinate

things that set us apart from the group

social - intermediate

things that drive group behaviour

human - superordinate

most broad category

how do we learn what our group is like (4)?

1. observing other groups

2. cultural stereotypes

3. correspondance bias

the way they act is the same way people from their group act

4. group roles assigned to members

what are the four cases in which social categorization shift from the individual to the group (social)

1. direct reminders

2. presence of out-group members

3. being a minority

4. INTERgroup conflict

group vs. group

us vs. them

who came up with the social identity theory

tajfel

what is the social identity theory

it is a theory that explains how group membership becomes part of our identity.

1. categorization

2. identification

3. social comparison

4. self-esteem

categorization in SIT

people categorize themselves and other people into social groups.

ex: us and them, in-group and out-group

identification in SIT

people start to identify (adopt the identity) with that group, and start building emotional attachments.

social comparison in SIT

people start comparing the out-group to the in-group. this comparison often makes the in-group look better than and more superior.

Positive distinctiveness and self esteem in SIT

people are more likely to view the in-group as more positive. this positive distinctiveness build a stronger foundation of self-esteem.

who came up with the minimal group paradigm?

tajfel and billing

what is the minimal group paradigm

it is the conclusion that merely categorization on its own is enough to build an in-group bias.

when participants were randomly allocated to a group, it was found that they often choose options that would maximize the difference between the groups, and put their own group in a more favorable position, even though they didnt actually know people from the “out-group“ or have any sort of history with them.

who came up with the optimal distinctiveness theory

Brewer

what is the optimal distinctiveness theory

People have two competing needs:

• Belonging / connectedness (similarity to in-group)

• Uniqueness / distinctiveness (difference from out-groups)

Groups satisfy both needs at once:

• “I belong here”

• “We are different from them”

BIRG – Bask in Reflected Glory

You enhance self-esteem by associating with successful groups.

Ex: Saying “we won” after your football team wins, even if you weren’t involved.

Opposite: CORFing (Cutting Off Reflected Failure) — distancing from losing groups

emotions and group identity

Group membership evokes emotional connections. You may feel pride, anger, or empathy based on what happens to your group or its members

Ex: National sadness after a tragedy, or collective joy after a sports win.

Linguistic Intergroup Bias

Abstract language (traits, adjectives): Suggests the behavior is a stable trait.

Concrete language (specific actions): Suggests the behavior is an isolated incident.

generous vs. mistake

homogeneity effect

The homogeneity effect refers to the phenomenon where people view out-group members as being more alike than they are, while recognizing greater diversity within their own group. This occurs due to:

1. familiarity (a lot of knowledge on in-group but not enough on out-group, we make assumptions and jump to conclusions)

2. interaction context (interaction w/ out-group is often in a large setting)

3. focus on differences