prejudice: social identity theory

Question 1

who created SIT and what is it about?

Answer 1

TAJFEL
Humans have a desire to belong and we obtain self-esteem through group membership and acceptance of others.
Much behaviour is driven by wanting to maintain positive sense of self and a valued member of ‘the group’

Question 2

what is the first stage of SIT?

Answer 2

SOCIAL CATEGORISATIO

Question 3

what is social categorisation?

Answer 3

ingroup= group we see ourselves as belonging
outgroup= anyone not in ingroup
social categorisation= separation of individuals into one of these groups

Question 4

how does social categorisation create prejudice?

Answer 4

Basic human thought we we have little control over

Creates discrimination between ‘us’ and ‘them’

Question 5

what is the next stage?

Answer 5

SOCIAL IDENTIFICATION

Question 6

what is social identification?

Answer 6

adopting beliefs, values and attitudes of group they see themselves belonging in
Shift in outward behaviour and appearance and their thinking
> new social identity formed

Question 7

what follows social identification?

Answer 7

SOCIAL COMPARISON

Question 8

what is social comparison?

Answer 8

May boost self esteem through making comparisons between in and outgroup

Question 9

because it affects our self esteem…?

Answer 9

MAY NOT BE OBJECTIVE
EG. We may perceive ingroup as superior, and linking successes to innate ability (disposition)
Outgroup may be seen as inferior and achievements criticised and seen as caused by external factors (situational)
If ingroup seen as better, then WE a ig member, must be better > motivated to perceive ingroup in positive light and can be enhanced by seeing outgroup as unfavourable

Question 10

what is the term known as the desire to see the ingroup as different?

Answer 10

QUEST FOR POSITIVE DISTINCTIVENESS

Question 11

what does positive distinctiveness mean?

Answer 11

differences between groups emphasised and similarities minimised
Can lead to discrimination in the way we think and treat outgroup members

Question 12

supporting evidence?

Answer 12

MINIMAL GROUP EXPERIMENT- Tajfel
-15 year old Bristol boys
-ingroup and outgroups created by telling each one who behaved like them in previous task (choosing favourite painting)
-later asked to allocate points to others
FOUND,
-more points given to ig than og members
-even opted to maximise difference even if it reduced final sum awarded to ig
SHOWS,
how social categorisation can trigger ig favouritism and discrimination

Question 13

BUT…?

Answer 13

LACKS MUNDANE REALISM-
task of privately allocating points
May be less discriminatory due to possible unpleasant consequences
Discrimination rarely covert> lacks ecological validity

Question 14

weakness?

Answer 14

ETHNOCENTRISM
Wetherell replicated Tajfel’s experiment using 8 year olds in New Zealand
FOUND,
indigenous Polynesian children more generous in allocating points to og than white NZ classmates
SO,
ethnocentric - fails to predict behaviour of those from other backgrounds and may not apply to minority groups

Question 15

application?

Answer 15

REDUCING PREJUDICE THROUGH INCREASING SELF-ESTEEM
Study where student were given sense of high or low self esteem
Low self esteem- rated Jewish job applicant less favourably than Italian
>not case for those with high
In 2nd study, self esteem was increased by asking to write about something they valued > reduced anti-Jewish prejudice
SUGGESTS,
prejudice can be decreased by introducing policies targeting low self esteem