Social identity theory

Social identity theory

• 1.
  What is Social IdentityTheory?
• 2.
  Whatclubsandgroupsdoyouidentifywith? • The curiouscase of Sherlock Holmes. • I am a detective • I am a genius. • I am an inventor. • I am British • I am a boxer. • I am a Londoner • I am Male. • I am a Baker Street resident. • I am a friend of Dr. Watson. • I am a European. My membership of these groups means that I value these groups and would defend these groups if they were to be criticized.
• 3.
  Social Identity Theorysays… • According to Social Identity Theory, • We all belong to social groups and as members we often compare the groups status and power in relation to other groups. • Manchester United supporters love reminding Liverpool supporters that they have a higher success rate in the English Premier League. • Northern Irish Catholics in North Belfast protest that Orange Order Parades keep marching in proximity to their residential areas. • African Americans in the USA celebrate the election of the first African American President.
• 4.
  • Social Identitynot only describes what one believes but it prescribes what its members should believe? • What believes do you think the following groups prescribe? • The Codrington School, • The Barbados Labour Party, • The Chelsea Supporters Club, • The University of Yale, • The French, • The National Rifle Association.
• 5.
  As social groupmembers. • We subscribe to the believes of the social group. • We favour our own group. • We take an interest in advancing our own group. • We identify with differences between our group and other groups.
• 6.
  The Goals ofthe group. • According to Tajfel and Turner (1979) • The Individual in a social groups operates in the goal of enhancement. This is based on the esteem of the group. • There are 2belief systems to achieve enhancement. One is connected to 2 additional beliefs. • 1. Social mobility belief system • Belief that intergroup boundaries are permeable. Thus, it is possible for someone to pass from a lower- status into a higher-status group to improve social identity. • 2.Social change belief system • Belief that intergroup boundaries are impermeable. Therefore, a lower-status individual can improve social identity only by challenging the legitimacy of the higher-status group's position. • Cognitive alternatives • Belief that the status quo is unstable and illegitimate, and that social competition with the dominant group is the appropriate strategy, to improve social identity. • Social creativity • Group-based behavioral strategies that improve social identity. but do not directly attack the dominant group's position.
• 7.
  How do individualsAchieveEnhancement?
• 8.
  Can you explainthe following actions using Social Identity Theory? • 1. ETA, a militant Basque organisation plants a bomb in Madrid because they favour Basque independence from Spain. • 3. Moldova wants to join Romania and become one country, and people in Romania generally are wealthier than Moldavians. 4. In areas of poverty in Wales, people have become more patriotic and are learning Welsh and favoring cultural differentiation from England. 5. In 1960s USA and South Africa, the ‘Black is beautiful’ movement encouraging people of African descent to adopt African hairstyles and fashions. • 6. People in Quebec, send letters of ‘Solidarity’ to people in Palestine because they both perceive themselves to be unfree.
• 9.
  In the crowd??? •1. The individual does not lose an identity, but adopts an identity with the social group. • 2. Depending on the meeting, the social group behave according to the general rules of the group. • 3. The relationship between groups creates the base of how the groups will interact. For example, Manchester United Fans at a meeting with Liverpool fans automatically carries the assumption of ‘rivalry’ - Where as two Christian groups are less likely to riot because both group rules against rioting, this does not apply to football fans. • 4. The esteem of the group and the general beliefs of the group regarding how to enhance the group play a role in guiding behaviour.
• 10.
  Exam Question: • Compareand contrast the theories of Deindividuation and Social Identity Theory to explain anti-social behaviour within crowds.