Analyzing Social Identity Theory

The Social Identity Theory was conceptualized by Tajfel and Turner in 1979. Social identity theory suggests that the membership of social groups and categories forms an important part of our self concept. Self is conceptualised as a collection of identities. It focuses on group and intergroup processes. Therefore in an interaction, the individuals involved represent a group or a category and not just themselves as individuals. Social identity theory looks at the social aspects of identity. These social identities shape intergroup perceptions, attitudes and behaviour. Social Identity theory is based on a number of inter-related concepts: social categorization, social identity, social comparison /positive distinctiveness.

Categorization refers to the process in which objects, events and people are classified into categories.  Social categorization divides the social environment into in-groups and out-groups.  By doing so we tend to exaggerate the similarities of those in the same group and exaggerate the differences between those in different groups. This accentuation occurs for all attitudes, beliefs and values, affective reactions, behavioural norms, styles of speech and other properties that are believed to be correlated with the relevant intergroup categorization. (Burke & Stets, 2000).The process of self-categorization depersonalizes perception, feelings and action in terms of contextually relevant self-defining in-group prototype.

Social identity is the part of our self-concept based on knowledge of our membership of one or more social groups. It is separate from personal identity – which is the part of our self-concept that derives from the way we perceive our personality traits and the personal relationships we have with other people (Turner, 1982). Whereas personal identity is associated with interpersonal behaviours, social identity is related to intergroup behaviours. Our social identity contributes to how we feel about ourselves, so we seek positive social identities to maintain and enhance our self-esteem. Social identity is the individual’s self-concept derived from perceived membership of social groups (Hogg & Vaughan, 2002).

Social comparison is the comparing of one’s own social group with others.  Some social groups have more power, prestige or status than others and therefore members of a group will compare their own groups with others and determine the relative status of their own group.This also results in the tendency for members of a group to distance themselves from membership of a group which does not share the same beliefs and ideas of their group and take more account of the beliefs and ideas of their social group. Positive social identities may result from the process of social comparison as we continuously compare our in-groups with relevant out groups. This social comparison process is set in motion by our need for positive distinctiveness – the motivation to show the superiority of our in-group compared to relevant out groups. By thus establishing the superiority of our in-group, we make sure that our social identities, and therefore our self-esteem, are positive enough. If a group does not help in maintain the self-esteem, people may want to leave the group.  However if leaving the group is impossible then people may adopt strategies such as comparing their own group to a group of a lower status. Through comparison we seek to maintain a positive self-concept which works in two ways: we view groups we belong to in a positive light and view related out-groups in a more negative light. These processes create inter-group differentiation.

  

In group-based identities, people perceive other groups in different cognitive, attitudinal or behavioural ways. They fix people into one image and create a stereotype. When people have certain negative opinions about those who belong to particular country, religion, sex, race or economic background are they are using stereotypes. Stereotypes force them to look at individuals as a part of a large group and not as individuals. They think that a large number of people have same attributes even though it is not fair to fit everyone into a particular image.

   

Some people see Muslims as conservatives, uneducated and superstitious, and that they do not allow girls to study much and work outside. When opinions about certain section of society are always negative then we call them prejudices about them. Prejudice makes us judge other people negatively or see them as inferior. People think that only the way they follow is the appropriate way of doing things and often end up not respecting others belief and practices. People's religious belief, the region they come from, the clothes they wear, the accent they speak in, the race they belong to etc. may become points for prejudice for them. Prejudices are thus one form of behavioural way to differentiate oneself from others and build self-esteem which casts others in bad light.

I feel the social identity theory very well explains how people of one group have certain views about themselves which keep them in positive light while others in negative light. Social comparison may result into positive or negative social identity. Social mobility is an outcome of a negative social identity. It is an attempt to leave group for one that may provide a more satisfactory identity. Positive comparisons produce high prestige and negative comparisons produce low prestige.

   

Social change is based on the belief that group boundaries are impermeable and thus results in positive re-evaluation of the in-group. This depends on perceived stability and legitimacy. If a group believes that its lower status position is legitimate and stable but it is possible to achieve membership of a dominant group will attempt to gain entry into higher class by not showing much solidarity with the in-group. Whereas a group which thinks that its position is illegitimate and unstable and there is less scope for social mobility will engage in direct inter-group competition.(Hogg & Terry,1995)

The best example to show that the social identity theory explains the tendency of a group to see other group in negative light is racism. People of one ‘race’ have a negative bias for people from the other race and they make sense of the world on the basis of racism. It becomes internalised as part of an individual’s self-concept and influences an individual’s perception about others. Social identity theory shows that individuals who are oppressed by this ideology of racism inevitably attempt to escape or to face the negative impact.

  

Thus the Social Identity Theory elaborates not only the importance of society in building one’s identity but also the impact of this on one’s perception about self and others. The in-group and out-group conflict is also a result of this perception which leads to differences and instability in the society.

REFERENCES

Burke, Peter J. and Jan E. Stets. (2000).”Identity Theory and Social Identity Theory” Social Psychology Quarterly 63:224-37.

Hogg, Michael A., Deborah J. Terry and Katherine M. White. (1995).”A Tale of  Two Theories: A Critical Comparison of Identity Theory With Social Identity Theory.”Social Psychology Quarterly 58:255-69.

McLeod, S. A. (2008). Social Identity Theory - Simply Psychology. Retrieved on 23rd October, 2013 from http://www.simplypsychology.org/social-identity-theory.html.