Evaluate+social+identity+theory

= __ Evaluate Social Identity Theory __ =


 * ====__Key Term__==== || ====__Definition__==== ||
 * **Social Learning Theory** || By Henri Tajfel; The assumption that individuals strive to improve their self-image by trying to enhance their self-esteem, based on either personal identity or various social identities. ||
 * **Social Categorization** || The collective definition and naming of categories of perceived phenomena. ||
 * **In-group** || (us) The group which the individual is part of when he or she belongs to a group, or even more if he or she is randomly assigned to a group. ||
 * **Out-group** || (them) All the other groups which are not the group that the individual is part of. ||
 * **Social Comparison** || The benefits of belonging to the in-group versus the out-group. ||

=__ Social Identity Theory __= //assumed that individuals strive to improve their self-image by // trying to enhance their self-esteem, based on either personal identity or various social identities. Which means that people can boost their self-esteem through personal achievement or through affiliationwith successful groups, and it indicates the importance of social belonging
 * < [[image:http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/file.php/2850/kmap/1232462135/images/TAJFEL.jpg width="124" height="163"]] ||
 * < Henri Tajfe ||


 * ~ =Strengths= ||~  ||~   ||
 * [[image:http://www.freespirit.com/files/IMAGE/COVER/LARGE/Best_Behavior_Series_08.gif width="290" height="185"]] |||| * **Helps to understand human behavior ** ||
 * * ** Has been supported by emperical research done by ** ||
 * [[image:http://image.cdnl3.xosnetwork.com/pics24/640/GA/GAALREFEBKGSFAM.20080906182936.jpg width="255" height="193"]] || Cialdini et al (1976) || Successful football match

→ supporters were more likely to be seen wearing college insignia and clothing than after defeats || (based on their supposed preferences for the art of either Kandinsky or Klee)
 * [[image:http://www.abstract-art.com/abstraction/l2_grnfthrs_fldr/g0000_gr_inf_images/g029b_kandinsky_tr_ln.jpg width="163" height="115"]][[image:http://www.sai.msu.su/wm/paint/auth/klee/klee.tunisian-gardens.jpg width="92" height="118"]] || Taijfel et al. (1971) || boys who were assigned randomly to a group

= more likely to identify with the boys in their own group

- willing to give higher awards to members of their own group || = =

=__Limitations__=
 * The Social Identity Theory fails to consider the interaction between the self and the environment
 * Does not accurately predict human behaviour
 * Belonging to a group does not mean that social identification with the group occurs as people do reject their social group
 * The focus on cognitive factors may diminish the focus on emotional and motivational factors.

=Introduction Paragraph= The social identity theory is based on the assumption by Henri Tajfel, that individuals strive to improve their self-image by trying to enhance their self-esteem, based on either personal identity or various social identities. Helping us to understand human behaviour, this theory has been supported by various of research such as the study done by Cialdini et al. (1976) and Tajfal et al. himself. Cialdini et al. demonstrated that college football supporters were more likely to be seen wearing college insignia and clothing after a successful football match than after a defeat, whereas Tajfel et al. (1971) observed that boys who were assigned randomly to a group, based on their supposed preferences for the art of either Kandinsky or Klee, were more likely to identify with the boys in their own group, and were willing to give higher awards to members of their own group. However, this theory also has it's limitations as it fails to consider the interaction between the self and the enviornment and it does not accurately predict human behaviour. In addition, belonging to a group does not mean that social identification with the group occurs as people do reject their social group. The focus of the social identity theory on cognitive factors may also diminish the focus on emotional and motivational factors.