1. Social Identity theory Tajfel (1971)
Theories of Prejudice
Social Identity theory
Tajfel (1971)

2. How many ways are there to discriminate against people?
List all the ways you can think of.
What problems are caused by prejudice?
What is the difference between prejudice and discrimination?

3. Prejudice ‘Pre’ (meaning before) and ‘judice’ (meaning justice)
An attitude – making judgements about someone based on their membership of a group rather than their individual nature.

4. One of the greatest problems of humanity
Leads to dehumanisation and violence
Why study prejudice?
If we understand how it is formed perhaps we can learn how to prevent it
Prejudice- extreme, unfavourable attitude associated with three components:

5. 1. Cognitive: Stereotypes:
Social perception of an individual based on their group membership or physical attributes
Overgeneralised belief based on limited information
Generalisations – applied to all members
Positive / negative

6. 2. Affective: Feelings of hostility and hatred

7. 3. Behavioural: In terms of prejudice can be displayed as avoidance, assault, joke-making or discrimination.
Actively excluding an individual or groups from things they are entitled to

8. Not all of these components manifest at the same time.
i.e. someone who is prejudiced may have the cognitive and affective component but not discriminate
Why?
Prevailing social norms or laws perhaps?

9. Causes of prejudice Individual Differences
Obedience & prejudice down to dispositional factors? I.e. personality?
How can it explain whole culture and societies being prejudiced?
Anti-Semitism developed over 10 or so years
Look at social factors that can explain how entire populations of people develop prejudiced attitudes
Social identity theory
Realistic conflict theory

10. Read the article –
working-class-powerless
Please note this is an opinion piece and not research
We are using it to put the issues we are looking at into context. The issues brought up in the article are very relevant at the moment
Application

11. Social Identity Theory – Tajfel (1970)
The simple act of being grouped will inevitably lead to prejudice against another group.
Tajfel classified group as in-groups or out-groups
There are three stages to the Social Identity Theory

12. Tajfel (1970) – Social Identity Theory
Social categorisation
Social identification
Social comparison
Look up these stages. In pairs discuss the definitions

13. Social Identity Theory
1. Categorisation
2. Social Identification
3. Social comparison
Act of categorising into groups
In group
Out group

14. Personal identity – strive to achieve positive image linked to high self esteem
2. Social Identity
Identifying themselves by membership to certain social groups (social identification)
Adopting characteristics – significance to your membership and self esteem (personal ID) is bound up with the group
If social identity is favourable – personal identity of group members are positive. Boosting self esteem.
Opposite is also true
Social identity impacts on our personal identity
Examples?

15. Football team – continued success?
However if they lose several matches?

16. 3. Social comparison:
Defining and emphasising in-group characteristics to elevate social identity
Comparing and derogating qualities of the out-group
Achieved by
1. In-group favouritism – members unique and favourable - Heterogeneous
2. Negative out-group bias – members ‘all the same’ unfavourable - Homogenous
Example!

17. Within a group – each member has a social identity
Image based on the attributes of the group
Group success =increases sense of belonging and self esteem
Example?
Football team – continued success?
However if they lose several matches?

18. Tajfel (1971)Minimal group paradigm experiments
The Minimal Group Paradigm is a methodology employed in social psychology to investigate the minimal conditions required for discrimination to occur between groups.
Experiment 1
64 Schoolboys ages groups of 8 (knew each other)
Experiment 2 Klee and Kandinsky
Summary must include:
Aim
Procedure
Results
Conclusion

19. Conclusions:

20. Evaluation of the study - GRAVE
In pairs – list and explain 3 evaluation points
Strengths
Weaknesses

21. Evaluation of the theory
Social identity theory - Supporting studies
Lemyre and Smith (1985) followed minimal group paradigm
Replicated findings
Discriminating participants has increased self esteem – supporting the notion that personal identity is bound up with social identity
Cialdini (1976)
US university football scores
Morel likely to wear football team sweatshirt after a game had been won than lost
Interviews – referred to the team as ‘us’ when they won and ‘they’ when they lost
Personal identity affected by association with a football team (social ID)
Aronson and Osherow (1980)
Blue eyes/brown eyes study(Jane Elliott)

22. Evaluation of social identity theory as an explanation of prejudice
Strengths
Weaknesses

23. Write up evaluation points for Social Identity Theory using SODAR