Social Identity Theory Flashcards
Who proposed social identity theory?
Tajfel and Turner (1979)
What causes prejudice?
The formation of 2 groups, w/o any other factors being present.
What does the mere existance of 2 groups cause?
It causes conflict to begin.
Tajfel carried out studies of…
… minimal groups.
When were the studies carried out?
In the early 1970s.
Where were the studies carried out?
In Bristol.
Results clearly show that…
… the creation of 2 groups leads to prejudicial attitudes.
Social identity theory suggests that a person has several…
… personal ‘selves’.
The personal ‘selves’ link in with…
… group membership.
Different social situations may trigger an individual to…
… act in different ways.
Where does social identity come from?
It comes from how people see themselves in relation to membership of their social groups.
What does belonging to an in-group create?
Self-categorisation
What does self-categorisation lead to?
In-group favouritism & hostility towards the out-group.
People perceive their in-groups as better, in order to…
… enhance self-esteem.
What are the 3 processes involved in becoming prejudiced towards the out-group?
1) social categorisation
2) social identification
3) social comparison
What is social categorisation?
Seeing oneself as part of a group.
What is social identification?
- identifying with the group more overtly
- individual takes on norms & attitudes of group members
What is social comparison?
- individual’s self-concept becomes wrapped up with the in-group
- in-group is seen as better than the out-group
What are the 3 variables contributing to in-group favouritism?
1 - extent to which individuals identify with the in-group
2 - extent to which there are grounds for comparisons
3 - relevance of out-group in relation to the in-group
If an in-group is central to one’s self-definition and making comparisons is meaningful, then…
… there is more likely to be in-group favouritism.
In-group favouritism is what leads to…
… prejudice against the out-group.
