Article 1a: When social identity- defining groups become violent (Chapter2, Handbook of collective violence)

Question 1

Collective violence

Answer 1

Is characterised by orchestrated, coordinated and sustained violent acts that are perpetrated by one group of people against another, often led by division between groups (wars, mass killings, gang violence, terrorism).

Question 2

Social identity theory

Answer 2

Individuals derive their self-identity and social categorisation form the groups they belong to. This involves comparing ourselves to those who we belong to (in-group) and to those who we don’t belong to (out-group).

We want to attain a positive and distinctive social identity: one that is better than, and clearly defined and distinct from other groups.

Question 3

Social categorisation/ depersonalisation

Answer 3

We automatically categorise the world and the people around us into groups, and stop to view them as unique individuals.

Question 4

Self-categorisation theory (Turner)

Answer 4

We represent social categories in our minds as prototypes: sets of attributed that define a group (social identity). We prototype ourselves about who we are and others about who they are, which causes a sense of shared reality. This can lead to polarised identities.

Question 5

Polarised identities

Answer 5

When in-group prototypes are defined rigidly and are pulled to extreme positions and away from the outgroup.

Question 6

2 key motives for why people join and identify with groups

Answer 6

1. Uncertainty reduction: uncertainty about our sense of self makes us want guidance and direction, which a group can do (especially an unambiguous, central-core group).
2. Self-enhancement: the need to compare ourselves with the out-group to be better than them.

Question 7

Uncertainty reduction motive (for joining and identifying with a group)

Answer 7

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