Social Identity theory

Question 1

what does people being social animals give us a tendency to do - Darwin

Answer 1

identify with a group to aid co-operation which helps us form societies

Question 2

who created SIT and when

Answer 2

Tajfel and Turner (1979)

Question 3

what does SIT say about prejudice

Answer 3

prejudice can be explained by our tendency to identify ourselves as a part of a group and to classify other people as either within outside that group

Question 4

In group

Answer 4

the group we belong to

Question 5

out group

Answer 5

anyone outside of the in group

Question 6

3 steps to the formation of prejudice

Answer 6

social categorisation

social identification

social comparison

Question 7

social categorisation

Answer 7

categorising ourselves and others as members of particular social groups to aid our understanding of people

Question 8

social identification

Answer 8

adopting the identity of the group we have assigned ourselves to

Question 9

how do we conform to the group that we have identified ourselves as being a part of

Answer 9

we take on the behaviour and the values that they believe in

Question 10

social comparisons

Answer 10

we compare the group that we have categorised ourselves as being a part of to other groups

Question 11

what do we show in the social comparison stage

Answer 11

in group favouritism and out group negative bias

Question 12

why do we compare our group to others and believe out group is in some way better than others

Answer 12

to maintain self esteem

Question 13

in group favouritism

Question 14

what was SIT based on

Answer 14

the minimal group studies - series of lab experiments

Question 15

why were the minimal group studies called that?

Answer 15

the grounds on which the participants would see themselves as belonging to one group or another was minimal

Question 16

Lalonde 1992

Answer 16

studied a poorly performing hockey team
to ascertain whether SIT applies to real life
the team claimed the other teams were ‘dirtier’ than them - showing in group favouritism
there was no evidence the other teams were playing dirty

Question 17

SIT is a grounded theory - strength

Answer 17

based on the minimal group studies - however, most of these were lab experiments

there is strong evidence for the theory to be supported with

Question 18

alternatives to SIT

Answer 18

RCT and the authoritarian personality

Question 19

why can SIT be seen as reductionist

Answer 19

reduces the cause of prejudice down to one factor - social categorisation

the cause of prejudice is much more complex, other factors involved, e.g. competition