Prejudice 1.1.4 Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner 1979)

Question 1

What does this theory suggest brings about prejudice?

Answer 1

The presence of another group

Question 2

Define ‘social identity’.

Answer 2

A person’s sense of who they are based upon group membership

Question 3

Give 3 examples of social groups

Answer 3

1) Social class
2) Gender
3) Identity

Question 4

What did Tajfel (1979) propose causes stereotyping?

Answer 4

Tendency to group things together

Question 5

Define ‘in group’

Answer 5

The group we belong to

Question 6

Define ‘out group’

Answer 6

The groups which are different to our own

Question 7

What mentality leads to in group and out groups?

Answer 7

The concept of ‘us’ and ‘them’

Question 8

How do in-groups enhance their self-esteem?

Answer 8

By seeking negative aspects of out groups

Question 9

Tajfel proposed that there are 3 cognitive processes involved in evaluating others as “us” and “them”, what are they?

Answer 9

1) Social categorisation
2) Social Identification
3) Social comparison

Question 10

Briefly describe social categorisation.

Answer 10

• We categorise humans to understand them + social envir
• Seeing yourself as part of a group bc shared interest + characteristics
• We define appropriate behaviour based off of the group we belong to

Question 11

Briefly describe social identification.

Answer 11

• Adopt the identity of our group, their norms + values, via changing our appearance + behaviour
• Self esteem becomes bound to the individual’s group membership

Question 12

Briefly describe social comparison.

Answer 12

• Viewing our in group as superior,using group identity to compare ourselves against out groups
• We find negative things abt out group to boost our self esteem
• Leads to prejudice & discrimination of out groups

Question 13

EACH- Evidence

Answer 13

1. P-Tajfel (1970) minimal groups study supports
   E-Found that minimal groups of boys awarded their own group with more points instead of sharing amongst the other groups.
   E-Strength, demonstrates that we have in group favouritism.
   2.P- Wetherall’s(1982) study rejects
   E- Found that Polynesdian children were more generous to the out group compared to the attitudes to the white children.
   E- Demonstrates there are cultural differences affecting prejudice, as some cultures emphasise cooperation regardless of in/out groups.

Question 14

EACH-Application

Answer 14

P- Yes
E-Shows that social identity is a perception not a fact through believing you belong to a group
E-So strategies can tackle discrimination by getting people toto expand their sense of identity to reduce social comparison + keep self esteem high

Question 15

EACH- Criticisms

Question 16

EACH-How?

Answer 16

1.P-Tajfel’s (1970) minimal group study has low generalisibility
E- Sample was school boys 14-15 from Bristol
E- Weakness, can’t be generalised to groups such as women, outside of school students or those older, or from different cultures outside of Bristol in terms of studying prejudice (androcentric, ethnocentric)