Social identity theory

Question 1

What was the aim of Jane Elliot’s blue eyes brown eyes experiment in 1986?

Answer 1

Aimed to show children how discrimination felt

Question 2

What happened in the blue eyes brown eyes experiment?

Answer 2

1st day = Blue eyed children more privileged + considered superior, smarter, + cleaner, whilst brown eyed people had to wear collars to single them out

2nd day = Vice versa

Children discussed their discrimination + had to write essay on how it felt

Question 4

What were the results of the experiment?

Answer 4

Brown eyes treated blue eyes with more kindness bc they knew how it felt to be discriminated against

Question 5

Who was the theory developed by?

Answer 5

Henri Tajfel and John Turner, 2 british psychologists

Tajfel was a Polish Jew whos family was killed by the nazis, moved to england

Question 6

How does this theory oppose realist theories?

Answer 6

Since it says that belonging to a group is enough ti create prejudice to something else

Question 7

What did Tajfel say about stereotyping?

Answer 7

We exaggerate differences of others and similarities of each other

Therefore we see the group we belong to (in group) as different from the others (out group)

Question 8

What is the central hypothesis of the social identity theory?

Answer 8

Group members of an in-group will seek to find negative aspects of an out-group, enhancing their self-image

Question 9

What are the 3 cognitive processes involved in evaluating others as ‘us’ or ‘them’?

Answer 9

Social categorisation, social identification, social comparison

Question 10

What happens in social categorisation?

Answer 10

• Separation of individuals into 1 of two groups, in-group or out-group
• The existence of an out-group is enough to create prejudice + discrimination between ‘them’ and ‘us’
• Categorisation is a basic characteristic of human thought, we have little control over this

Question 11

What is an in-group?

Answer 11

The group that we see ourselves belonging to - me and us

Question 12

What is an out-group?

Answer 12

Anyone not part of the ingroup - not like me and them

Question 13

What happens in social identification?

Answer 13

• Individual adopts the beliefs, values, + attitudes of the group they belong to
• They will alter behaviour to fit in with group norms
• Will be a shift in person’s thinking + involves change to their self-concept as a social identity is formed
• Individual often changes appearance as well as behaviour

Question 14

What happens in social comparison?

Answer 14

• Individual boosts their self-esteem through making comparisons between ingroup + outgroup
• Self-esteem is attached to self-concept, high self-esteem means u feel good about urself
• Comparisons might not be objective - Perceive ingroup as superior + exaggerate successes + attributing success to innate ability (dispositional factors)
• Outgroup seen as inferior + achievements attributed to external factors (situational factors)
• If ingroup members seen as better then we think were better - motivation for seeing ingroup as positive + outgroup as negative