Lecture 10 - Tajfel Flashcards
What was the main focus of Henri Tajfel’s research?
Tajfel focused on the social and contextual aspects of human behavior, particularly in relation to prejudice, discrimination, and the way group membership shapes behavior.
How did Tajfel’s personal experiences influence his research?
Tajfel’s experiences as a soldier during WWII and as a refugee shaped his interest in the plight of minority groups, prejudice, and the impact of group membership on individual identity.
What is the Minimal Group Paradigm (MGP)?
The Minimal Group Paradigm is an experimental procedure where people are divided into arbitrary groups (e.g., “overestimators” vs. “underestimators” of dots), and the study explores whether mere categorization can lead to ingroup favoritism and discrimination against outgroups.
What were the conditions under which Tajfel observed intergroup discrimination in his experiments?
Tajfel observed discrimination under the following minimal conditions: social categorization, no competition for resources, no self-interest, no interpersonal interaction, and no clear reason to dislike the outgroup.
What did Tajfel find about how people allocate rewards in the Minimal Group Paradigm?
Tajfel found that participants tended to allocate rewards in a way that maximized the difference between their ingroup and the outgroup, preferring relative gain over absolute gain, even at a small personal cost.
What does the concept of “positive distinctiveness” refer to in Tajfel’s theory?
Positive distinctiveness is the need to differentiate one’s ingroup from a relevant comparison group in a way that enhances the ingroup’s status or identity.
How does Social Identity Theory explain intergroup discrimination?
Social Identity Theory explains that people derive part of their self-esteem from their group memberships. Discrimination occurs as individuals seek to maintain a positive social identity by favoring their ingroup over outgroups to feel better about themselves.
What are the three stages in Social Identity Theory that lead to intergroup discrimination?
The three stages are:
1. Social categorization: Classifying oneself and others into groups.
2. Social identification: Identifying with one’s ingroup.
3. Social comparison: Comparing the ingroup to outgroups to establish positive distinctiveness.
What did Tajfel’s studies suggest about competition for scarce resources in relation to intergroup conflict?
Tajfel’s studies showed that competition for scarce resources was not necessary to create intergroup discrimination; mere social categorization was sufficient to trigger ingroup favoritism
What does the term “relative group gain” mean in the context of Tajfel’s studies?
Relative group gain refers to the preference for seeing one’s ingroup do better than the outgroup, even if it means receiving fewer rewards overall.
What is the “Self-Esteem Hypothesis” in Social Identity Theory?
The Self-Esteem Hypothesis suggests that people are motivated to maintain a positive social identity, and thus will favor their ingroup to boost their own collective self-esteem.
How did Tajfel’s research challenge earlier theories on prejudice and intergroup conflict?
Tajfel’s research challenged earlier theories by showing that prejudice and discrimination could occur without direct competition for resources or deeply rooted personal biases—social categorization alone was enough to trigger these behaviors.
What was the significance of the Tajfel matrices in his research?
The Tajfel matrices were used to assess how participants allocated rewards to ingroup and outgroup members. The matrices were designed to avoid direct interaction between participants, ensuring that ingroup favoritism was due solely to categorization.
What did follow-up studies suggest about fairness norms in Tajfel’s experiments?
Follow-up studies, like those by St. Claire & Turner (1982), suggested that participants preferred fairness over a competitive norm when deciding on allocations, challenging the idea that competition was the sole driver of ingroup favoritism.
What role does similarity between groups play in ingroup favoritism?
Research by Billig & Tajfel (1973) and others found that ingroup favoritism is stronger when the outgroup is perceived as more similar to the ingroup. People have a stronger desire for distinctiveness when the outgroup is similar.
How does Social Identity Theory apply to modern social issues?
Social Identity Theory helps explain many contemporary social issues, including prejudice, discrimination, group conflict, and social stigmatization. It has also been applied to areas like leadership, crowd behavior, and online interactions.
What is the impact of multiple group identities on health and resilience?
The Social Cure concept suggests that identifying with multiple social groups can enhance physical and mental health, increase resilience to stress, and help in recovery from illness or addiction.
What are some critiques of the Minimal Group Paradigm?
Critiques include concerns about demand characteristics (i.e., participants knowing what is expected of them) and the lack of real-world relevance. Some argue that the findings may be influenced by the artificial nature of the experimental setup.
How does Tajfel’s work challenge individualistic and reductionist views of prejudice?
Tajfel’s work emphasizes that prejudice and intergroup conflict are not just products of individual biases but are rooted in social structures, relationships, and intergroup dynamics.
What is the role of positive social identity in group behavior, according to Tajfel?
A positive social identity is crucial for individuals’ self-esteem. Groups seek positive distinctiveness by differentiating themselves from outgroups, which leads to ingroup favoritism and can contribute to intergroup conflict.
