Social Identity theory and intergroup relations

Question 1

Define: Stereotypes

Answer 1

Stereotypes are the impressions or assumptions people form about groups by associating those groups with particular characteristics.

These assumptions are not always accurate and can lead to biased perceptions.

Question 2

Define: Prejudice

Answer 2

Prejudice refers to the evaluation of a social group or its members, either positively or negatively, based on preconceived notions or stereotypes.

Question 3

Define: Discrimination

Answer 3

Discrimination involves acting on the evaluation formed through prejudice, either positively or negatively, and is directed toward the social group and its members.

Question 4

Social Identity Theory (Tajfel, 1971)

Answer 4

• we derive self esteem from our valued group membership
• share and adopt opinions with our in-group to feel validated
• develop belief that “out-groups” are inferior

Question 5

Self-categorisation

Answer 5

• seeing oneself as a mamber of a social group
• often associate ourselves with several social groups

Question 6

Effects of group membership on self-esteem

Answer 6

1. when our group wins we feel great
2. refer to group as “we” more after a win =
   “Basking in reflected glory”
   - we tend to rely on groups successes to hide out failures
   - group membership can protect self esteem

Question 7

Sources of group membership

Answer 7

• Events remind people of group memberships
• Direct reminders from others
• Presence of in-group members
• Presence of out-group members
• Intergroup conflict

Question 8

Social Identity Theory

In-group

Answer 8

• Those who belong to our social group
• Viewed as similar to ourselves
• View members as unique and novel - usually due to spending more time with them

Question 9

Social Identity Theory

Out-group

Answer 9

• Those who belong to other social group
• Viewed as dissimilar to ourselves
• View members as similar/homogenous (e.g., stereotypes) - usually due to poor contact

Question 10

How group membership shapes us

Answer 10

• If our in-group is a minority, that may become central to us
• If our in-group is a majority, we may discount that membership
• Minority and majority status also changes the functions of upward/downward comparisons (Brewer & Weber, 1994)

Question 11

Brewer and Weber (1994)

Answer 11

1. Randomly assigned people into groups via “perceptual estimation task” (e.g. how many marbles are in this jar?)
   - consistent with large amount of the population
   - consistent with small amount of population
2. They were then shown a video with either a majority or minority member performing well or poorly on academic task.
3. Wanted to see how does being in the majority affect social comparisons based on performance?
4. They found that
   - if you are in the majority group and see someone from your group doing well you feel bad, if you see someone from your group doing badly you feel good. minority performance does not bother you.
   - if you are in the minority and a minority performance is good you feel good, if minority performance is bad you feel bad
   - pattern reversed depending on which is your in-group

Question 12

Minimal group paradigm

Answer 12

• Groups can be made arbitrarily (colour of shirt, coin toss, over versus under estimation of items)
• allows us to study effects of groups in a “vacuum” - suggests intergroup conflict is innate

Question 13

Male vs femal characters

Answer 13

We tend to pay more attention to things/people that are like us

In this experiment it was found that males were more likely to remeber the names of male characters and females were more likely to remember the names of female characters

Question 14

Billig and Tajfel (1973)

Answer 14

1. schoolboys divided into group “X” and group “W”
2. allowed to divide points between their group and the other group members
3. points awarded small amounts of money
4. generall favoured in-group members
5. Were not always seeking to maximise benefity for the in-group. sometimes discriminated even when it cost the in-group
   - e.g. took 11 points for in group, 7 for out group over 17 for each. In-group will take a loss if it means out-group is worse off

Question 15

Sources of outgroup bias according to social identity theory

Answer 15

1. Categorization-Competition Hypothesis
   - Viewing people in terms of ingroups and outgroups is sufficient to generate intergroup competition
   - Evidenced by minimal group paradigms
   - Arbitrary assignment to groups creates biases
   - Competition between groups seems innate
2. Self-Esteem Hypothesis
   - When your in-group does well, it makes you feel good
   - Basking in reflective glory (Cialdini)
   - Intergroup bias supports that your group is better than the outgroup
   - Low self-esteem promotes intergroup bias to raise self-
   esteem, more likely to be descriminatory

Question 16

Strength of group identification

Answer 16

Individuals vary in the strength they identity with a group

• Higher identification = greater likelihood of intergroup bias
• Lower identification = lesser likelihood of intergroup bias

Identification increases when…
- Threats to group (e.g., immigration, Sept. 11th attacks)
- When independent ideologies/attitudes align with group

Question 17

Realistic Group Conflict Theory

Answer 17

Evolutionary and economic account for group conflict
- Groups tend to compete when resources are contested
- Supported by Robber’s Cave (and other) experiments
- We are motivated to maximize the rewards for in-group, even if it means taking those rewards away from others

Question 18

Intergroup threat theory

Answer 18

Biases come from two types of perceived threats
- Symbolic threats (e.g., loss of status or authority)
- Realistic threats (e.g., loss of physical resources)

Previous theory emphasized realistic threats
- Threat of losing positive source of self-esteem just as important
- Bias may result from a combination of threats

Question 19

Zero sum

Answer 19

“Zero-sum” refers to a situation in which one participant’s gain or loss is exactly balanced by the losses or gains of other participants. In a zero-sum scenario, the total amount of wealth, resources, or utility remains constant, and any benefit acquired by one party comes at the expense of another.

Question 20

What is discrimination?

Answer 20

Behaving differently toward people based on their membership in a social group
- Acting in an unfair or demeaning manner toward a disliked group
- But can also refer to giving undeserved advantage to a liked group

Question 21

Forms of Discrimination

Answer 21

Blatant discrimination
- Unequal and harmful treatment that is intentional and visible

Subtle discrimination
- Unequal and harmful treatment that is typically less visible and obvious
- Often not noticed because people have internalized it as normal
- Can be active or passive

Question 22

Covert Discrimination

Answer 22

• Unequal and harmful treatment that is hidden, purposeful, and often maliciously motivated
• Behavior that attempts to ensure failure in situations

Question 23

Microaggressions

Answer 23

• Small-scale, everyday behaviors that demean other social groups or members of those groups
• Behavior can be verbal or nonverbal