SOCIAL IDENTITY THEORY & ITS ORGANIZATIONAL IMPLICATIONS

Group-14

PGP02115 Sindhurika KR
PGP02116 Soumya Mishra PGP02117 Kalyan S. PGP02118 Sumit Kumar

SOCIAL IDENTITY THEORY: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION

Social Identity is basically a portion of an individuals self-concept derived from perceived membership in a relevant social group

Originally formulated by Henri Tajfel and John Turner in the 1970s and 80s
It introduced the concept of Social Identity as a way to explain intergroup behaviors on the basis of the perceived status, legitimacy and permeability of the inter-group environment

FORMATION OF SOCIAL IDENTITY

Social Identity is formed and maintained by 3 activities: Categorization

Homogenization
Differentiation

POSITIVE DISTINCTIVENESS AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF SOCIAL IDENTITY

Individuals are intrinsically motivated to develop and nurture a positive self concept This may be tried to be attained through: Choice of behavior Individual mobility Social creativity Social competition

STUDIES THAT SUPPORT SIT

Cialdini et al. (1976)- college football supporters are more likely to wear college clothing after a win rather than a defeat. (positive distinctiveness) Tajfel et al. (1971)- boys randomly assigned to groups based on their interest in an artist will identify with those boys, and were willing to give higher awards to members of their own group. The other group was rated as less likeable.
Muzafer & Sherif et al (1954) - Robbers Cave Experiment

The in-Group and the out-Group

Henri Tajfel proposed that stereotyping (i.e. putting people into groups and categories) is based on a normal cognitive process: the tendency to group things together. In doing so we tend to exaggerate: The differences between groups The similarities of things in the same group. We see the group to which we belong (the in-group) as being different from the others (the out-group), and members of the same group as being more similar than they are.

Effects Of Social Categorization And Comparisons

Boost your own self-esteem

More likely to identify with your own group

Treat your own group more favorably Dislike the out-group When in competition, then it can create group conflicts and discrimination

Limitations To The Theory

1. Theory only describes patterns of behavior but does not accurately predict human behavior (in some cases our personal identity is stronger than our group identity). 2. Fails to address the environment, which is reductionist (focusing on behavior in isolation). Culture, rewards, social constraints (poverty) can play a greater role than simply a sense of in-group identity.