social identity theory

• what is SIT? (Tajfel and Turner 1979)?

  being in a group is enough to cause conflict and prejudice, won't need to be in direct conflict.

  • refer to in/out groups (if someone has membership or not)
• what three processes are involved in becoming prejudiced?

  • social categorisation= categorising self within groups (gender)
  • social identification= take on norms and values of group
  • social comparison= in order to maintain self esteem we use in group favouritism (group is heterogenous, unique) and negative out group bias (group is homogenous, all the same)
• what three variables contribute to IGF?

  • extent individual identifies with group
  • extent of comparisons with out group
  • relevance of comparison to out group
• Deutsch and Collins (1951)

  investigate equal status, studies desegregated housing projects in NYC. It was predicted deseg would reduce out group bias and intergroup conflict between B&W, which they compared to seg houses in New Jersey.

  • deseg housewives mixed regularly when doing laundry, meeting in street and at grocers, so they held each other in high regard.
  • seg housewives held stereotyped of blacks being dangerous and inferior.
• evidence for?

  • tajfel found people favour in group )credible)
  • Lemyre and Smith (85) replicates Tajfel and found discriminating group Ps had higher self esteem, personal and social identity are linked.
  • Cialdini (76) personal identity affected by association of football team. Uni students would wear jersey if football team won.
  • Jane Elliot (80) social categorisation can lead to prejudice (brown v blue eyes)
• evidence against?

  • Tajfel could be better explained by competition rather than favouritism. RCT better explanation?
  • may not apply cross culturally, Weatherell (82) found NZ polynesians more likely to favour out group so collectivists less likely to show prejudice (generalise?)
  • individual differences?
  • incomplete, only focuses on groups and not other factors.
• methodology?

  • well controlled lab experiment with an IV and DV, cause and effect can be inferred.
  • demand characteristics present and using matrix is artificial so results don't necessarily apply to real life
• applications?

  • can explain issues as diverse as conflict between football/religious groups.
  • applications in reducing prejudice in society where people identify with in group and discriminate out group.