Social identity is the part of an individual’s self-concept that is derived from knowledge of group membership.
Social identity theory describes situations in which social identity is more important than personal identity and how social identity influences behavior. This theory was proposed by Henry Tajfel and his student John Turner in 1979.
History of social identity theory
Social identity theory grew out of Tajfel’s early work on social groups. Together with his colleagues, Tajfel conducted a series of studies in the early 1970s investigating how people interact in groups with as little difference as possible.
minimal group research
These studies are termed minimal group studies, and Tajfel argues that even though these participants do not directly benefit from the situation and have no personal identification or history with group members, they are more likely than out-group members to We found that we gave more points to in-group members.
This showed that categorizing individuals into groups is enough for people to think of themselves in terms of in-groups and out-groups.
Then, in 1979, Tajfel and Turner added a cognitive component to the theory. It identifies the cognitive processes that lead to group membership and behavioral motivation that enable people to maintain a positive social identity.
“it is [social identity theory] European theory… [and] It’s really a social answer to the concept of personal identity in American social psychology,” says Regina Tuma, Ph.D., doctoral student and professor of media psychology at Fielding Graduate School.
social identity and self-identity
Self-identity or personal identity refers to the self-perception of unique individuals and personal attributes, whereas social identity is concerned with group membership.
What is the main difference between the two?
- your self identity It may make you focus on what makes you who you are. different From others, such as their hobbies, education, and personality traits.
- your social identity you will focus on what makes you resemble The groups you belong to are different from the groups you don’t belong to (e.g., race, social class, gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc.).
For example, a personal identity may define oneself as the eldest child in the family, whereas a social identity may lead one to identify with other middle-class women.
“[Social identity theory]Tuma explains, “challenges the idea that identity is self-contained, isolated, and exists independently of the broader society to which we belong.”
Cognitive processes in social identity theory
There are three cognitive processes that are central to explaining how people define their in-groups and out-groups.
- social classification: Social categorization is the tendency of people to refer to themselves or others as members of a particular social category. “Our society is structured around groups,” Tuma says. “We divide the world into social categories so that we can have accurate perceptions.” This allows us to describe people based on group membership rather than individual characteristics. Masu.
- Social comparison: Social comparison is the process by which individuals compare their own group to other groups in terms of value and social status. For example, a lawyer may consider himself to have a higher social status than a legal secretary, but a lower social status than a judge. In order to maintain self-esteem, people may want to compare their group to groups of lower social status.
- Social identification: Social identity concerns how people adopt their group identity. Therefore, if they socially belong to her one group, they will behave in line with the way they believe behavior within that group. For example, if an individual defines himself as an animal rights activist, he will sign petitions, rescue animals, and have his own zoo of animals. In the process, she becomes emotionally committed to being a member of the animal rights activist community.
What does this mean?
As a result of these three processes, social identity theory is based on an individual’s knowledge of being part of a particular group (social categorization), social status (social comparison), and the emotional importance of those groups. (social identification).
Benefits of a shared social identity
The benefits of a shared social identity are:
- self-esteem: When people identify with a particular group, they derive self-esteem from that group’s successes, even if they are not directly related to those accomplishments. Therefore, in-group self-esteem can go beyond individual accomplishments alone. For example, if you are a fan of a sports team, you may have nothing to do with that team’s recent victory, but that victory may still improve your self-esteem.
- Uncertainty reduction: Group membership reduces uncertainty in social situations and satisfies a basic need for achieving meaning. Particularly in ambiguous situations, group membership serves as a guide to self-definition and behavior.
- safety and belonging: The need to feel included and unique within a group, and the need to feel differentiated from an out-group, called the optimal uniqueness theory, gives us a sense of security and belonging, while at the same time meeting our own needs. Allows you to select group memberships that meet the criteria.
Problems with social identity theory
Despite its popularity as a theory, social identity theory has several problems and limitations. These include:
- Some argue that social identity theory emphasizes the lack of agency that people have in forming their own identities.
- This theory is limited in scope, focusing on how group membership shapes self-concept and self-esteem, while not touching on other factors that shape identity, such as culture and personal experiences. do not have.
- Despite its popularity, social identity theory has limited empirical support. Some studies have found that it does not describe real-world situations.