What does the social identity theory mean?

Question 1

What is the social identity theory?

Answer 1

It is about how individuals define themselves on the basis of group membership. The individual’s self-concept derived from perceived membership of social groups.

Question 2

What are the points of the social identity theory?

Answer 2

• Argues that a person has not just one “individual self”, but several “social selves” that correspond to group membership
• We need to understand who we are and know our value in social contexts. This is why we categorise ourselves in terms of group membership
• Self-esteem comes from our membership of social groups

Question 3

What does social identity and salience mean?

Answer 3

Sometimes one of our “social selves” can become more salient
-> we can become more aware of the facet of identity

Question 4

What does the social identity theory predict?

Answer 4

Social identity theory predicts that when one of our social identities becomes salient, it will have an influence on our behaviour