Social Identity theory
Social identity refers to the ways that people's self-
concepts are based on their membership in social groups.
Henri Tajfel's greatest contribution to psychology was
social identity theory. Social identity is a person’s sense
of who they are based on their group membership(s).
Tajfel (1979) proposed that the groups (e.g. social class,
family, football team etc.) which people belonged to were
an important source of pride and self-esteem. Groups
give us a sense of social identity: a sense of belonging to
the social world.
We divided the world into “them” and “us” based
through a process of social categorization (i.e. we
put people into social groups).
=Henri Tajfel proposed that stereotyping (i.e. putting
people into groups and categories) is based on a normal
cognitive process: the tendency to group things together.
In doing so we tend to exaggerate:
1. the differences between groups
2. the similarities of things in the same group.
#This is known as in-group (us) and out-group
(them).
We categorize people in the same way. We see the group
to which we belong (the in-group) as being different from
the others (the out-group), and members of the same
group as being more similar than they are
Social Identity Theory Stages
Tajfel and Turner (1979) proposed that there are
three mental processes involved in evaluating others as
, “us” or “them” (i.e. “in-group” and “out-group”. These
take place in a particular order.
1:social catagorization
2: social Identification
3: social comparison
1:Categorization:-
The first is categorization. We categorize objects in order
to understand them and identify them. In a very similar
way we categorize people (including ourselves) in order
to understand the social environment. We use social
categories like black, white, Australian, Christian, Muslim,
student, and bus driver because they useful.
2:Social Identification:-
In the second stage, social identification, we adopt the
identity of the group we have categorized ourselves as
belonging to.If for example you have categorized yourself
as a student, the chances are you will adopt the identity
of a student and begin to act in the ways you believe
students act (and conform to the norms of the
group).There will be an emotional significance to your
identification with a group, and your self-esteem will
become bound up with group membership.
3:- Social Comparison:-
The final stage is social comparison. Once we have
categorized ourselves as part of a group and have
identified with that group we then tend to compare that
group with other groups. If our self-esteem is to be
maintained our group needs to compare favorably with
other groups.
Social identity refers to the ways that people's self-
concepts are based on their membership in social groups.
Henri Tajfel's greatest contribution to psychology was
social identity theory. Social identity is a person’s sense
of who they are based on their group membership(s).
Tajfel (1979) proposed that the groups (e.g. social class,
family, football team etc.) which people belonged to were
an important source of pride and self-esteem. Groups
give us a sense of social identity: a sense of belonging to
the social world.
We divided the world into “them” and “us” based
through a process of social categorization (i.e. we
put people into social groups).
=Henri Tajfel proposed that stereotyping (i.e. putting
people into groups and categories) is based on a normal
cognitive process: the tendency to group things together.
In doing so we tend to exaggerate:
1. the differences between groups
2. the similarities of things in the same group.
#This is known as in-group (us) and out-group
(them).
We categorize people in the same way. We see the group
to which we belong (the in-group) as being different from
the others (the out-group), and members of the same
group as being more similar than they are
Social Identity Theory Stages
Tajfel and Turner (1979) proposed that there are
three mental processes involved in evaluating others as
, “us” or “them” (i.e. “in-group” and “out-group”. These
take place in a particular order.
1:social catagorization
2: social Identification
3: social comparison
1:Categorization:-
The first is categorization. We categorize objects in order
to understand them and identify them. In a very similar
way we categorize people (including ourselves) in order
to understand the social environment. We use social
categories like black, white, Australian, Christian, Muslim,
student, and bus driver because they useful.
2:Social Identification:-
In the second stage, social identification, we adopt the
identity of the group we have categorized ourselves as
belonging to.If for example you have categorized yourself
as a student, the chances are you will adopt the identity
of a student and begin to act in the ways you believe
students act (and conform to the norms of the
group).There will be an emotional significance to your
identification with a group, and your self-esteem will
become bound up with group membership.
3:- Social Comparison:-
The final stage is social comparison. Once we have
categorized ourselves as part of a group and have
identified with that group we then tend to compare that
group with other groups. If our self-esteem is to be
maintained our group needs to compare favorably with
other groups.
