Social Identity Theory (SIT) Shapes Self-Concept and Group Behavior
Definition
Social identity theory
The theory that a person's sense of self is shaped by group memberships, leading to in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination.
- Social identity theory (SIT) explains how our sense of self is shaped by group memberships.
- SIT suggests that we categorize ourselves and others into groups, leading to in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination.
Key Principles of SIT
- SIT is built on three core processes:
- Social Categorization: We categorize people (including ourselves) into groups to simplify the social world.
- Social Identification: We adopt the identity of the group we belong to, aligning our behavior with group norms.
- Social Comparison: We compare our group to others, seeking positive distinctiveness to boost self-esteem.
Sports Teams
- You may notice people who discuss sports might use terms such as 'us' and 'them' even though they aren't part of the team, indicating social identification.
- Sports fans are also notoriously competitive, indicating social categorization.
Why SIT Matters
- SIT helps explain:
- Prejudice and Discrimination: In-group favoritism can lead to negative biases against out-groups.
- Stereotypes: Group-based thinking reinforces oversimplified beliefs about others.
