social identity theory
Social Identity Theory
An individual’s sense of self is shaped by group memberships, such as social class, family, sports teams, national identity
Individuals want to enhance self-esteem by enhancing the status of the groups they belong to
Social categorization: individuals classify each other into groups based on shared characteristics
Recognition of visible/inferred characteristics that can define groups
Attribution of characteristics: after group defined, individuals attribute certain characteristics to a group
Leads to stereotyping
Emotional valence attachment: individuals attach emotional significance to the groups they categorize themselves into
Ingroup bias: favoring one's own group
Outgroup aversion: negative emotions toward competing groups
Social Identification: individuals assimilate the identity of a group into their own self-concept.
Emotional attachment: developing emotional connection to a group, when status begins to impact the individual’s own feelings of self worth
Ex. My sports team lost, so I lost. Because your identity is now attached to the sports team
Group Conformity: adhering to the group’s norms and behaviors, which may involve changing one’s previous habits and adopting new practices as dictated by the group’s standards
Defense and advocacy: defending the group against criticism and advocating for its interests and values, both within and outside the organizational context
Internalization: when a group’s identity becomes integrated with one’s personal identity
Social comparison: when individuals assess their own group’s status relative to other groups
Selection of comparison groups: individuals select outgroups to compare their ingroups with
Identify dimensions or attributes to compare
Behavioral Responses
Outgroup discrimination: negative attitudes, behaviors, or actions toward outgorup members
When part of a weak ingroup, you are more likely to be open to leaving it and joining higher-status group
Behavioral responses
Ingroup favoritism: you are most likely to be more philanthropic and altruistic to ingroup members. You are more accepting and open to people in your ingroup, and you see them as more multifaceted
Outgroup discrimination: occurs when negative attitudes, behaviors, or actions are directed toward members of outgroups. This is a defense mechanism
Permeability of group boundaries: perceived ease with which individuals can leave their current group and then join another potentially higher status group
Behavioral responses