Social Identity Theory

What is the main idea behind Social Identity Theory (SIT)?

explains how people classify themselves and others into groups to simplify the social world and make sense of their identity.

What does SIT aim to predict?

when people will identify themselves as individuals or as members of a group.

Why is group affiliation important in SIT?

It fulfills the need for social belonging and boosts self-esteem through group membership.

What is positive distinctiveness (or in-group favoritism)?

The tendency to favor one’s own group to boost self-esteem and create a positive social identity.

How does SIT define in-groups and out-groups?

In-groups are groups one identifies with, while out-groups are those one does not identify with.

What is the out-group homogeneity effect?

The tendency to see members of the out-group as more similar to each other than members of the in-group.

What was the aim of Tajfel et al. (1971)?

To investigate whether intergroup discrimination occurs simply by assigning people to arbitrary groups.

Who were the participants in Tajfel’s study?

14-year-old boys who were randomly assigned to two groups based on preference for Kandinsky or Klee paintings.

What task were the participants asked to do in the study?

Award points to two other boys, one from their in-group and one from the out-group.

How did the point allocation systems work in Tajfel’s study?

• P1: Points given to one boy would subtract from the other (sum of 15).

• P2: System manipulated so boys could favor their group even at a personal cost.

What were the results of the first point system?

Boys consistently awarded more points to their in-group (in-group favoritism).

What happened in the second point system?

Boys gave fewer points to their own team to maximize the difference between the in-group and out-group.

How does Tajfel et al. (1971) support Social Identity Theory?

It shows that even minimal group distinctions can lead to in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination.

What does the term "minimal group paradigm" refer to?

The idea that the simplest group assignment (e.g., Klee vs. Kandinsky) is enough to trigger group-based discrimination.

What does the Tajfel study suggest about social identity and self-esteem?

People derive self-esteem from their group identity and will act in ways that boost their group’s positive distinctiveness.

What does this study demonstrate about human behavior in group contexts?

Humans have a natural tendency to favor their in-group and discriminate against out-groups, even in trivial group settings.