Social identity theory (tajfel and turner)

Social Identity Theory, developed by Henri Tajfel and John Turner, offers a complementary perspective to Realistic Conflict Theory for explaining intergroup prejudice and discrimination.

It posits that part of our self-concept is derived from our membership in social groups (our "social identity") and that we are motivated to maintain a positive social identity, which can lead to ingroup favoritism and devaluation of outgroups, even in the absence of competition for resources.

Self-Concept and Social Identity

Our sense of who we are (self-concept) is based not only on our individual characteristics (personal identity), but also on our memberships in various social groups (nationality, sports team, profession, etc.).

This part of the self-concept derived from group membership is what constitutes our social identity.

People are motivated to achieve and maintain positive self-esteem, and since our identity Social identity is part of our selves, we are also motivated to view our ingroups favorably.

Social Categorization and Comparison

The process begins with social categorization, the tendency to classify people (including ourselves) into social groups or categories.

Once we have categorized ourselves as members of a group, we tend to compare it with other relevant groups (outgroups) to evaluate its status and worth.

To achieve a positive social identity, we seek to have our ingroup distinguished favorably from outgroups on valued dimensions.

Ingroup Favoritism and Outgroup Discrimination

This need for a positive social identity can lead to ingroup favoritism, which is the tendency to evaluate and treat members of one's own group more favorably than members of outgroups.

This can manifest even in situations of "minimal group," where group membership is based on trivial criteria and there is no prior history of conflict or competition for resources (as Tajfel's experiments showed).

Ingroup favoritism can, in turn, lead to out