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Self Categorization Theory

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In 1971 Tajfel and his colleagues did an experiment that has become an especially good illustration of how little it takes to create social identification, and how easy social identification leads to discriminatory behaviour. This text will revolve around how such identification occur, what consequences it has for both the individual and others, as well as proposed methods to reduce the negative consequences. It is written as a preparation for my upcoming exam in Social Cognition. The 1971 study consisted of two experiments, in which both divided subjects into groups depending on an irrelevant criteria. Subjects were randomly allocated to one of two groups, ostensibly based on their performance on a dot estimation task (experiment one), or their preference for painting by either Klee or Kandinsky (experiment two). They did not communicate with other participants, and had no knowledge of what group other participants were in. Previous studies on social identification, such as Sherif et al. (1961) and Ferguson and …show more content…

The Optimal Distinctiveness Framework (Brewer, 1991) challenges this assumption by arguing that people are motivated to choose social identities that satisfy the need for inclusion and distinctiveness, regardless of whether or not the distinctiveness is positive. Self-Categorization Theory focus on the conditions for and consequences of social identification, whereas Social Identity Theory focus explain the emergence of social categorization and the reasons for in-group favoritism. A social categorization is more likely to be used if it is one that a person uses often or if it fits the context. Whether or not it is relevant to the context depends on if it corresponds to observed differences between people in the situation, or if it is helps to make sense of behavior in accordance to

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Why does classification determine their worth as humans? How does that determine who you like and who you don’t? Chuck Collins has stated that “we get into trouble as a society when we don’t see that we’re in the same boat.” He shows that people generally have trouble reaching out to those who are different or outside of their comfort zone. In contrast, Collins also wants us to recognize that when we leave people out of society, we hurt ourselves in the process.

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After these characterizations were established, those designated as inferior began to behave in an inferior manner, and since the only noticeable differentiating factor between the groups was their eye colors, we can observe how these groups behaved per the ideological myth that the authority figure had implemented into this environment. These categorizations are associated with the concept of reference groups and how the blue-eyed children were the in-group, and the brown-eyed children were the out-group, shown through specific limitations based on physical criteria. The out-group had less recess time, had to wait to go to lunch, didn’t get seconds at lunch, and couldn’t drink at the same water fountain as the in-group in addition to not being allowed to play with them (1985). Socialization is the overarching term for the lifelong process of “learning rules for adapting to social and cultural normality” which highlights the role of societal rules in guiding individual integration into groups and communities within a society. Individuals learn core values, beliefs, and morals through the observation of others, which builds bonds and aids individuals in developing a sense of belonging within a specific group (2019).

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Imagine walking into a room and being instantly identified as a criminal. Imagine having to experience this in every room you enter. Imagine walking into a store and being watched, expected to be a thief or sometimes even expected to reveal a knife, gun or a bomb. When we meet new people, most of us look for differences rather than similarities. From young we are taught that everyone is different and that continually makes us associate others by these differences.

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The social identity theory compares, categorizes, and identifies with certain groups. Memberships to specific groups are important. Elliot placed people in groups based on eye color so all of the blue eyed people tended to stick together and so did the brown eyed people. In the adult groups, the blue eyed people became defensive at times because of the way they were being treated and others stood up to defend from the same group in some instances, The Social Identity Theory is also defined by a sense of superiority to others (Myers, 326). Lacking a positive personal identity, people often seal self-esteem by identifying with a group (Myers, 327).

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One would think prejudice is a thing of the past. Unfortunately, that is not the case, prejudice is still a common factor in todays society. Vincent N. Parrillo’s essay “Causes of Prejudice,” helped me to understand how we are affected not just psychologically but in a sociological way as well, as John A. Camacho explains in his A Few Bad Apples opinion piece published in the Pacific Daily News. Both forms of prejudice are continued to be explained through Stud Turkel’s “C.P Ellis,” he gives us an understanding of psychological and sociological prejudice through C.P Ellis’own experiences. This furthers our understanding on how we can be affected by both psychological and sociological prejudices.

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People always suggest others to be themselves. To not care about what others have to say about you. People try to ignore society 's opinion about them, not realizing the importance it plays in identity. For a person to feel identified, they must have similarities or differences, and some type of involvement. Identity involves a combination of how you see yourself and how others see you.

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Introduction Social identification is a very important source of both one’s pride and self-esteem. Because groups give us a sense of social identity and belongingness to the social world, intergroup relations have a huge impact on the actions we engage ourselves in. “We are not born with senses of self. Rather, self arises from interaction with others” (Griffin, 2012). In this paper I will first give a summary of Tajfel and Turner’s Social Identity Theory.

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This de-identification can also be seen in friend groups, and often we use this process to help form assumptions and judge a person before we know them fully. De-identification can also be used as a defense mechanism as well to distance oneself from other members of the family or other

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Social categorization theory developed by Turner (1978) describes the categorization of people based on salient attributes like gender, ethnicity or age, resulting in stereotyping on the basis of these differences. Social categorization theory posits that similarities and dissimilarities of demographics can lead formation of different group with resulting effects on member of in-group favorably themselves to the detriment of members of out-groups social (Turner, Brown & Tajfel, 1979). Self-categorization theory explains when individuals categorize themselves by assigning to themselves the manners, actions and other characteristics they link with association within a specific group (Schmitt, Branscombe, Silvia, Garcia, & Spears. 2016). By means of self-categorization and membership of a group, people cultivate a social identity that functions as a social-cognitive scheme (customs, standards and attitudes) for their group associated action. The tendency is for the perceiver to consider these attributes as vital to his or her own personality and thus use these attributes to label others (Hoffman Harburg, & Maier, 2014).

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Situations like this are shown in the book “Flawed” where these ideas of labels are taken to the extreme. Labels can matter a lot in our modern lives, they can alter how people see others, they alter how people

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Labelling is an intrinsic response which occurs as people interact with society and associate other individuals or groups with a certain category that reflects on their behaviours and actions. The labelling phenomenon generates a wide range of positive and negative consequences. It can encourage an individual to strive for extraordinary achievements, or completely destroy his or her honour through stigmatization. The labelling theory refers to the social reaction to deviance, and criminologists propose that deviant labels determine or influence an individual’s future delinquency. The social elites establish acceptable social norms and actively engage in the labelling process where powerless groups are unable to resist these imposed stigmatizations.

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Elevator social experiment; a few people (actors - that were in on the experiment - knew what was happening and was playing a part in allowing the experiment to be conducted smoothly) entered an elevator, all facing the back (instead of what is ‘normal’; facing the door/front) a stranger/subject enters the lift of people facing away from the elevator door it was observed if the subject ‘conformed’ to their environment; whether if they slowly turned to ‘fit’ or ‘blend’ into their surroundings the actors swapped in and out of the elevator, the ones entering also facing the back of the elevator to allow the surrounding to seem more ‘normal’ a large majority of the ‘test subjects’ that entered the elevator had originally stood facing the door,

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The research I have collected on university students will not only teach us about how we identify in our society, but how we identify as human beings. Humans want to belong. But the same feeling of belonging to a group comes with other feelings: discrimination. The emotions that come with identifying are accompanied by a feeling of superiority over those with whom you do not. You may know these feelings from the anger of attending a home game at Faurot Field and seeing anyone wearing colors that are not gold and black.

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