L4 - SIT in the 'real world'

Question 1

People generally want to see themselves positively, how do they go about achieving this according to SIT?

Answer 1

Through their individual achievements or their group.

Question 2

What are the three basic principles of SIT?

Answer 2

1. Psychological Processes (comparison and categorization)
2. Identity enhancement strategies
3. Socio-structural characteristics

Question 3

What is meant by the SIT principle of ‘identity enhancement strategies’?

Answer 3

Strategies that individuals can use to enhance their positive differentiation and distinctiveness.

(How low status people try to challenge their low status)

Question 4

What are the three identity enhancement strategies?

Answer 4

Individual / Social mobility

Social Creativity

Social Competition / Change

Question 5

What is the individual / social mobility enhancement strategy for identity enhancement?

Answer 5

It is an individual process that attempts to improve the status of the individual and does nothing to advance the low-status of their group.

Question 6

What are the techniques used in the individual / social mobility identity enhancement strategy?

Answer 6

Requires psychological disassociation from the low-status group (norms and values of the group are rejected in favour of the high-status group)

Emphasising how the individual is different from other in-group members (they seek to avoid or deny membership to low status group and seek membership in a high status group)

Question 7

What is the social mobility identity enhancement strategy?

Answer 7

Where members of low-status groups attempt to adopt the norms and behaviours of the high-status group.

Question 8

Forced assimilation of Native Americans in the past is the dark side of what type of identity enhancement strategy?

Answer 8

Social Mobility

Question 9

The internalization of negative stereotypes is a product of what type of identity enhancement strategy?

Answer 9

Social Mobility

Question 10

What is the social creativity identity enhancement strategy?

Answer 10

Intergroup comparisons that enhance the in-group’s identity but without changing the status of the group.

Question 11

Low-status groups comparing themselves to other low-status groups (lateral social comparison) or groups with even lower status (downward social comparison) is an example of what type of identity enhancement strategy?

Answer 11

Social Creativity

Question 12

If a group is using social creativity to boost their status and they are comparing their low-status group to a high-status group, how will they make such comparisons?

Answer 12

They will compare dimensions that favour their own group.

(e.g. we may not be wealthy but at least we are happy)

Question 13

“We might not have much money, but at least we’re not unemployed/homeless”

What type of identity enhancement strategy is this and what two groups are being compared?

Answer 13

Social Creativity

Two low-status groups

Question 14

A group attempting to change the meaning of the dimension of comparison is what type of identity enhancement strategy?

(e.g. redefining a negative attribute as a positive “black is beautiful)

Answer 14

Social Creativity

Question 15

What is the social competition/change identity enhancement strategy?

Answer 15

When group members engage in various forms of conflict to try and change the status quo.

(e.g. political agitation and activism)

Question 16

The civil rights campaigns in the US in the 1960s is an example of what type of identity enhancement strategy?

Answer 16

Social Competition/Change

Question 17

What is social mobility belief?

Answer 17

The belief that in the current hierarchy individuals have a chance to move up the hierarchical ladder and improve their individual status.

Question 18

What does it mean to hold a social change belief?

Answer 18

People don’t believe they can improve their status individually and may adopt group-oriented strategies to change their social status.

Question 19

When people accept the status quo, what type of identity enhancement strategies are they likely to adopt?

Answer 19

Social creativity strategies and individual enhancement strategies.

Question 20

What are the three socio-structural characteristics that determine intergroup relations in society?

Answer 20

The low-status groups must believe in the;

Permeability

Stability

Legitimacy

of the societal-structures.

Question 21

What does the permeability socio-structural characteristic refer to?

Answer 21

The perceived permeability of group boundaries.

Question 22

If the society perceives group boundaries as permeable what sort of social mobility is seen as possible?

Answer 22

Individual social mobility

Question 23

People feeling as though their race or sex does not limit them from gaining access to high-status groups is a sign that the socio-structural characteristics of a society are _____

Answer 23

permeable

Question 24

What does stability refer to as a socio-structural characteristic?

Answer 24

Refers to the perceived stability of group status.

• some group differences are seen as fluid and subject to change e.g. dominance of European cultural hegemony*
• others are seen as stable and enduring over time (physical difference between males and females*

Question 25

If people view their group membership and status as stable, what strategies of social mobility are they -

1) less likely to adopt
2) more likely to adopt

Answer 25

1) social change (social competition)
2) individual mobility / social creativity

Question 26

If a person’s group status is perceived to be unstable (open to change) what identity enhancement strategy are they likely to adopt?

Answer 26

Social Competition / Change

Question 27

What does legitimacy refer to as a socio-structural characteristic of a society?

Answer 27

Refers to the perceived legitimacy of a groups social status

(social status can be seen as legitimate, based on assumptions about defining group characteristics)

Question 28

What does the legitimacy of someones perceived group status concern?

Answer 28

“the moral convictions that determine the motivation to change”

(e.g. if you don’t believe white men deserve power you’re more likely to challenge it)

Question 29

The socio-structural characteristic that indicates a perceived opportunity for change are:

Answer 29

Permeability and Stability

Question 30

In periods of political stability what identity enhancement strategies are people more likely to adopt?

Answer 30

Individual/social mobility and social creativity

Question 31

In periods of political unrest where lower status groups are challenging the legitimacy and stability of the status quo what sort of identity enhancement strategy is most likely?

Answer 31

Social Competition

Question 32

SIT researchers believe that individual/social mobility is conceptualised as a ____ ____, not just a strategy.

Answer 32

belief system

(they must believe they can change. e.g. if they believe everyone can succeed if they try hard enough)

Question 33

The belief that collection social competition/change is possible occurs when social groups are perceived as _____

Answer 33

impermeable

Question 34

SIT researchers believe that social/individual mobility and social competition/change are opposing ______ _____

Answer 34

belief systems

Question 35

If the legitimacy of the status quo is questioned, what type of identity enhancement belief will the people believe is possible?

Answer 35

Social Change

Question 36

What happens if members of high-status groups believe the socio-structural characteristics of a society are legitimate and low-status groups attempt social change?

Answer 36

Discrimination and repression of low-status groups are more likely

(threats to the status quo increase the insecurity of high-status groups)

Question 37

How does tokenism influence the social situation in a society?

Answer 37

Results in more acceptance of the status quo (i.e. social creativity rather than mobility or social competition)