Social identity theory is a psychological framework proposing that a significant part of a person's self-concept comes from the social groups they belong to, such as their nationality, profession, or team affiliations, not just their individual traits.
The theory was developed by psychologist Henri Tajfel and his colleague John Turner in the 1970s and 1980s, building on research into how group membership influences self-esteem, perception, and behavior toward both in-group and out-group members.
Part of Who We Are Comes From Our Groups
Three Mental Steps: Categorization, Identification, Comparison
The theory describes three key mental steps: categorization, sorting people, including oneself, into groups; identification, adopting a group's identity as part of one's own self-concept; and comparison, evaluating one's own group favorably against other groups to maintain positive self-esteem.
Because people are motivated to see their own groups positively, social identity theory helps explain a wide range of behavior, from everyday team loyalty to more serious forms of intergroup conflict and discrimination, since a threat to one's group can feel like a threat to one's own identity.
Sources
- Wikipedia β overview of social identity theory and its development
- American Psychological Association β psychological background on group identity and self-concept
- Simply Psychology β explainer on social identity theory's three-step process
FAQ
Who developed social identity theory?
Psychologist Henri Tajfel and his colleague John Turner developed it during the 1970s and 1980s.
What are the three key steps in social identity theory?
Categorization, sorting people into groups; identification, adopting a group's identity as part of one's own; and comparison, evaluating one's group favorably against others.
Why do people tend to favor their own social groups?
Because evaluating one's own group favorably helps maintain positive self-esteem, since group membership becomes part of a person's self-concept.
About the Author
We reference Wikipedia, American Psychological Association, and Simply Psychology to explain the background and current understanding of this topic.
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