Social Identity Theory
SAQs
● Describe social identity theory
● Explain how one study supports social identity theory
ERQs
● Evaluate social identity theory.
● Discuss social identity theory’s explanation of human behaviour.
● Evaluate one or more studies related to social identity theory.
The Theory
● Theory about intergroup conflict
● Aims to explain why conflict & discrimination occur
● Tajfel 1971
● Refers to the way someone thinks about & evaluates themselves in relation to groups
● A person’s sense of who they are is based on their membership within a social group
Minimal group Experimental procedure where trivial differences are artificially
Paradigm created between groups to investigate the effect of social
categorisation on intergroup discrimination
In-group Favoritism Behavior that is biased towards benefitting the in-group
Out-group Behaviour that creates disadvantages for the outgroup
Discrimination
Social Process of categoristing people in in-groups and out-groups
Categorization
Social Comparison Comparing in-groups and out-groups (us vs them)
Social Identity The part of self-concept based on group membership
Tajfel (1971) - Group Favoritism & Discrimination
● Hypothesised it could be triggered by merely belonging to a different group
● Investigated effect of social categorisation on favoritism and discrimination
● Using minimal group paradigm
Study
● 64 male 14-15 yr old students in UK
● From same school, know each other well
● Split into 8 groups of 8
SAQs
● Describe social identity theory
● Explain how one study supports social identity theory
ERQs
● Evaluate social identity theory.
● Discuss social identity theory’s explanation of human behaviour.
● Evaluate one or more studies related to social identity theory.
The Theory
● Theory about intergroup conflict
● Aims to explain why conflict & discrimination occur
● Tajfel 1971
● Refers to the way someone thinks about & evaluates themselves in relation to groups
● A person’s sense of who they are is based on their membership within a social group
Minimal group Experimental procedure where trivial differences are artificially
Paradigm created between groups to investigate the effect of social
categorisation on intergroup discrimination
In-group Favoritism Behavior that is biased towards benefitting the in-group
Out-group Behaviour that creates disadvantages for the outgroup
Discrimination
Social Process of categoristing people in in-groups and out-groups
Categorization
Social Comparison Comparing in-groups and out-groups (us vs them)
Social Identity The part of self-concept based on group membership
Tajfel (1971) - Group Favoritism & Discrimination
● Hypothesised it could be triggered by merely belonging to a different group
● Investigated effect of social categorisation on favoritism and discrimination
● Using minimal group paradigm
Study
● 64 male 14-15 yr old students in UK
● From same school, know each other well
● Split into 8 groups of 8
