Tajfel's Social Identity Theory

Social Identity Theory

Social identity theory was originally formulated by John Tuner and Henri Tajfel in the 1980s. This theory proposes that our social identity is formed and influenced by the groups we belong to, and that people in groups tend to perceive themselves in terms of specific social categories, such as race, religion, and so on (Tajfel & Turner, 1985). As part of social categorization, the groups that people associate with are referred to as “in-groups”, whereas the groups they do not belong to or identify with are called “out-groups”. People share similarities with their in-groups, feel comfortable with them and act more favorably towards them. People tend to have more negative attitudes towards out-groups and, because they have less interaction, their relationships with out-groups are weaker (Tajfel & Turner, 1985).

Understanding Social Identity Theory can help team leaders to

The article provides four practical methods to help high-performing organizations manage B players better. The first method is to accept the differences between A players and B players. Many managers cannot evaluate B players neutrally and tend to undervalue their performance, because B players don’t fit in with their A player culture. The article suggests that managers should establish the B players’ career goals and values first and then match them to suitable positions within the company. The second suggestion is to give the gift of time to B players. Most B players don’t like to call attention to themselves and they make the fewest demands on their supervisors’ time. They are all too often neglected by managers and do not always receive fair treatment. Managers should identify B player segments within organizations, and express concern for those employees who are quiet and have lower