L2 - Social Identity Theory (SIT)

Question 1

How do social cognition models attempt to explain and account for categorization, stereotyping and prejudice?

Answer 1

By examining the cognitive and perceptual processes within the individual.

Question 2

How does Social Identity Theory (SIT) attempt to explain and account for categorization, stereotyping and prejudice?

Answer 2

Analyzing group memberships and social conditions that frame intergroup relations to understand the social perception of self and others.

(positional analysis and how power impacts groups)

Question 3

Fill in the blank using SIT

“the _____ is a psychological reality and not merely a convenient label for describing the outcome of interpersonal processes”

Answer 3

group

Question 4

According to SIT, what is required of you to be part of a group?

Answer 4

1. Knowledge of membership to the social group
2. Find value and emotional significance in the membership.

Question 5

Prior to SIT, Realistic Group Conflict Theory (RGCT) was used to explain group conflict.

What reasons did it give for group conflict?

Answer 5

1. Competition over scarce resources (e.g. land)
2. Periods of economic crisis
3. Political instability
4. Widespread disaffection by specific groups who challenge the status quo
5. Perceived threats from outside, real or imagined.

Question 6

What criticism did Social Identity Theory (SIT) make against Realistic Group Conflict Theory (RGCT)

Answer 6

That competition for scarce resources is required to incite intergroup competition/conflict or in-group favouritism.

Question 7

What type of studies were used by SIT in order to attempt to establish a ‘no discrimination’ baseline?

Answer 7

Minimal Group Studies

Question 8

The Tajfel minimal group study of the boys who were separated into meaningless groups and told to give points to their in-group or out-group chose which option.

Answer 8

12 in-group

11 out-group

Question 9

How did the experiments explain the boy’s decision to choose 12-11 in the payoff matrix experiment?

Answer 9

They resolved the internal conflict between choosing “fairness” and “maximal in-group profit” by selecting the option which only slightly favoured their side.

Question 10

What did the Tajfel minimal group experiment with the boys reveal about the baseline of no competition/discrimination between groups?

Answer 10

Mere awareness of belonging to one group as opposed to another is sufficient to produce intergroup differentiation.

Question 11

Why does the Tajfel minimal group experiment conflict with RGCT?

Answer 11

RGCT proposed that there need to be scarce resources in order for there to be discrimination and group conflict.

The experiment shows that mere awareness of group identity is enough to cause discrimination.

Question 12

People infusing even seemingly meaningless categories with meaning and social significance which become significant for self-definition and self-categorization as a group member is referred to as ____

Answer 12

Social Identity

Question 13

Fill in the blanks

People have a strong motivation to evaluate one’s (1)______ and (2)_____ identities positively and (3)_____ less positively

Answer 13

1) personal
2) social
3) outgroups

Question 14

Our ability to have multiple identities that we can call upon simultaneously that are activated to suit a social context is evidence of:

Answer 14

how easily and flexibly we identify and give meaning to meaningless groups.

Question 15

People have a tendency to value their ingroup more highly than those in an outgroup

True or False

Answer 15

True

Question 16

What is the social categorization effect?

Answer 16

When groups are categorised people tend to:

1. Accentuates the similarities between self and other ingroup members (social categorization)
2. Exaggerates differences between self and the outgroup

Question 17

What is the accentuation effect in regards to social categorisation?

Answer 17

When objects are categorised:

1. Similarities among members of one category are perceived as greater than they actually are
2. Differences between members of different categories are perceived to be greater than they actually are

Question 18

What were the results of the Tajfel and Wilkes (1963) experiment where they compared the difference in length of 8 lines (longest 4 always labelled A and shortest 4 B)?

Answer 18

Subjects overestimated the difference between A and B lines.

Question 19

What behaviour were participants exhibiting in the Tajfel and Wilkes (1963) line length experiment?

Explain.

Answer 19

Accentuation / Stereotyping

They were exaggerating some differences between groups classified in a certain way

and minimising the same differences within such groups

Question 20

The results of the Tajfel and Wilkes (1963) line length experiment is an example of the ____ ____ effect.

Answer 20

Social Categorisation (and accentuation) effect

Question 21

How does Festinger’s Social Comparison Theory explain the social categorization and accentuation effect?

Answer 21

People seek positive identity and positive self-esteem.

We do the same for groups to which we belong - we strive towards differentiating our groups positively from others.

Therefore we try to establish positive distinctiveness along valued dimensions.

Question 22

Describe the outgroup homogeneity effect.

Answer 22

The apparent tendency for within-group accentuations of similarity to apply to out-groups more than it does to in-groups.

(exaggerate the similarity of the outgroups e.g. they all look the same)

Question 23

Why do humans feel a strong membership to evaluate in-group memberships positively in comparison to out-groups?

Answer 23

To enhance self-esteem and social identity of themselves and ingroup members.

Question 24

A core prediction of SIT:

____ ____ alone is enough to engender intergroup discrimination and intergroup conflict

Answer 24

Social Categorisation

Question 25

Do SIT researchers believe that because the presence of 2 groups is enough to trigger discrimination - prejudice and group conflict, therefore, is inevitable?

Why or Why Not

Answer 25

No

It is dependent on:

1. Whether participants define themselves as in-group members
2. Whether outgroup is a relevant comparison group
3. Whether the comparative dimension is important and relevant to the intergroup comparison

Question 26

What factors influence ingroup favouritism?

Answer 26

1. Strength of ingroup identification
2. Ingroup size relevant to the outgroup
3. Perceived group threat