Social Identity Theory Flashcards
(34 cards)
What two theories make up the Social Identity Approach?
Social Identity Theory (SIT) and Self-Categorization Theory (SCT)
What historical event prompted interest in intergroup relations?
The Holocaust, which early theories tried to explain using individual-level concepts like authoritarian personality and frustration-aggression.
What shift occurred in social psychology after the 1960s?
A move from individualistic explanations to considering broader constructs like culture, language, and history (Hogg & Williams, 2000).
Define intergroup behaviour.
Behaviour, perception, or cognition influenced by recognition of group membership (ingroup vs. outgroup).
What is ethnocentrism?
Preference for one’s own group over others; viewing one’s group as central and superior (Sumner, 1906; Brewer & Campbell, 1976).
What is the Robbers Cave experiment and who conducted it?
Sherif (1954); studied how intergroup conflict and cooperation develop among boys at a summer camp.
What are the three phases of the Robbers Cave study?
- Ingroup formation
- Intergroup competition
- Intergroup cooperation (via superordinate goals)
What theory was developed from the Robbers Cave findings?
Realistic Conflict Theory (Sherif, 1966)
What does Realistic Conflict Theory propose?
Intergroup conflict arises from competition over mutually exclusive goals, and cooperation over superordinate goals reduces conflict.
What study challenged the idea that competition is necessary for conflict?
Tyerman & Spencer (1983)
What is the minimal group paradigm and who developed it?
Tajfel et al. (1971); demonstrates that mere categorization into groups is sufficient to trigger ingroup bias.
What were the key findings of the minimal group paradigm?
Participants favored their ingroup even when group membership was random and no real competition existed.
What is Social Identity Theory (SIT)?
A theory by Tajfel & Turner (1979, 1986) explaining how group membership influences self-concept and intergroup behaviour.
What are the three components of SIT?
Categorization, Identification, and Comparison
What is categorization in SIT?
Placing people (including ourselves) into groups to understand the social world; leads to accentuation effects.
: What is identification in SIT?
Aligning with a group to enhance self-esteem and create a sense of belonging.
What is comparison in SIT?
Favoring one’s ingroup over the outgroup to enhance positive self-concept (Tarrant et al., 2001
What happens when someone belongs to a low-status group?
Options include leaving the group, focusing on positives, devaluing negatives, or engaging in social change (Tajfel & Turner, 1979; Hornsey, 2008).
What is positive distinctiveness?
The desire to see one’s ingroup as better than the outgroup to boost self-esteem (Crisp & Turner, 2014).
What are functions of social identity?
Provides self-esteem, emotional security, companionship, learning, and a sense of belonging.
How do social and personal identity differ?
Social identity relates to group membership and intergroup behaviour, while personal identity is tied to individual traits and interpersonal behaviour.
What spectrum does human interaction fall on in SIT?
From purely interpersonal to purely intergroup interactions, depending on social category salience.
what was the Tyerman & Spencer (1983) study
Purpose:
To test and critique Sherif’s Realistic Conflict Theory, particularly the idea that intergroup competition is necessary for intergroup conflict and hostility.
Method:
Conducted a replication of the Robbers Cave experiment, but with some key differences.
Used real groups of boy scouts who already knew each other well, unlike Sherif’s random groups.
Introduced intergroup competition between the scout groups to see if it led to conflict.
Findings:
No intergroup hostility or significant conflict developed between the scout groups, despite competition.
The boys maintained cooperation and friendliness throughout the study.
Conclusion:
Suggested that competition alone is not sufficient to produce intergroup conflict.
Emphasized the importance of contextual factors, such as pre-existing group bonds and shared values.
Implication:
Challenges Realistic Conflict Theory by showing that the relationship between competition and conflict is not straightforward.
Suggests that prior relationships, social norms, and context play a critical role in determining intergroup behaviour.
What is the main focus of Social Identity Theory (SIT)?
It focuses on how group membership influences self-concept and intergroup behavior.
