Identity Theory Of Social Class

“’Identity has been increasingly used to refer to the social and historical make-up of a person, personality as a construct. Sometimes such identities are conceived narrowly psychological, individualist terms, as the cumulative result of personal experience and family history”

Social identities have a lot of significance on people’s lives today. People have adopted these norms of behaviors, the values and beliefs which come along with social identities. Various groups within the society have different expectations and standards of behavior which are now seen as a completely natural thing rather than just beliefs. There are different norms of social identities which include the race/ethnicity, religion, class, gender and sexuality. This paper will focus more on the class and gender social identities.

In class, we defined class identity as the socio-economic, political grouping of people who occupy similar positions based on a type of work/job vs. profession, income & wealth, ownership, authority, status, education, skills, and values. We also defined classism as the systemic oppression that categorizes and ranks people into dominant or subordinate groups based on economic status, family lineage, type of job and level of education. Classism tends to provide advantages for the dominant group which is based on the exploitation of subordinate group labor/wages. In learning about the true definition of class and classism, I realized that class and classism categorizes people and puts those of those of the lower and poor class in “the other”

Identity in a sociological sense is more than individual genetics or individuality. Self identity is made up by many characteristics including; our personal experiences, beliefs, socio-economic status and other factors. Society plays a huge role in determining identity, although true identity generally isn’t a true reflection of an individual’s self identity. Over the generations there have been

Identity development is process that occurs over the course of a lifetime that establishes the sense of self-worth through the reflection of how the person believes that society perceives them, as well as how the individual perceives themselves (Hud-Aleem & Countryman, 2008). Although race is just one factor for the individual to consider in identity development, it’s easy to see how racial-identification can be difficult for individuals who are biracial. For instance, a person’s identity is formulated through the expression of multiple dynamics, including relationships, historical factors, social contexts, and community involvement, as well as other more generalized demographics such as race, gender, age, sexual preference, socioeconomic status, temperament, family structure, and political or religious

I believe that social class has much more thought in our society. If this was more than twenty years ago, that might be different, but gender recognition and importance has made many advancements and is no longer a crutch or discriminatory matter in most places (with the usual exceptions of people that fit outside of the normal environment that most people try to establish in their surroundings).

Social identity theory proposed by Tajfel & Turner (2004) is a theory of group membership and behaviour which has made significant contributions in explaining in-group favouritism, out-group denigration, competition and other interactions of an individual among social groups (Korte, 2007; Brown, 2000; Tajfel & Turner, 2004). Social identity theory can be defined as an individual’s sense of who they are based on the group that they belong to through a process of self-categorisation and depersonalisation (Tajfel & Turner, 2004). In this essay, I will define social identity theory through its three mental processes involved in group evaluation which are: social identification which is a process whereby we are placed into certain

Social Identity is the understanding of who we are, and reciprocally, other people's understanding of themselves. Richard Jenkins believed that this social identity is achieved through socialization within social groups. He argued that by placing themselves in the role of others, people, particularly children, gain a greater understanding of the role that they should play. For example, a six-year-old girl playing "mommy" with her dolls will, as she gets into the role, begin to understand what a mother expects from a daughter and will, in response, be able to perform her own role as a daughter better. This is known as the play stage.

The social theory perspective that intrigues me is the second process known as identification. After one finds a specific category/group identify with, the person adopts the identify of the group as their own. These identifications then become tied to the person’s emotional being as well as self-esteem. Moreover, if the identity of a person is compromised or threatened, positive and negative responses are likely to occur.

It is in the human nature to be social beings, and have a social identity. Social stratification is the organization of individuals into social groups based on their access to basic needs. Aspects that affect social stratification are wealth, power, and prestige. Wealth is the amount of currency or goods that an individual or family owns. This can include money, houses, livestock, etc. Power is the ability for one to achieve their goals regardless of opposition. Wealth is directly related to power because the more wealthy, the higher the ability to pay to achieve your goals. Lastly, prestige is the respect or renown one has within a community. Social identity is shaped by many factors that are affected and effect our everyday life. Common factors include: social class, ethnicity, age, and gender. Britannica encyclopedia defines social class as “also called class, a group of people within a society who possess the same socioeconomic status.” (Editors of Britannica, 2007). Everyone belongs to a social class whether it contain many members or a select few. In essence, the more socially powerful/wealthy a social class, the less members that are associated with it. For example, making around $65,000 to $85,000 your put into the “middle class” social group (Vaz-Oxlade, Gail 2013). Social class is one of, if not, the most influential factor of your social identity because most factors that affect the social identity also affect one’s social class. Ethnicity affects your

Who are you? Who am I? These are questions that we all ponder at some point or another in our lives. As human beings we are seemingly inundated with the desire to classify and categorise. We are constantly defining and analysing the differences that we observe in the world, it seems only natural that we would apply this method of classification to our position within our society. More specifically, we want to understand our social identities and this can be achieved by acknowledging which groups we identify most with.

Social Identity Theory has a considerable impact on social psychology. It is tested in a wide range of

However, these identities are not always apparent. Tatum (2000) states that “it is our targeted identities that hold our attention, while the dominant identities go unexamined” (p. 7). In order to develop a holistic sense of self, we must examine all parts of our being. As my interviewer remarked: “you have to know who you are, and how you show up in pieces, and the impact that may give to others, because that definitely contributes” (A. Rubango, personal communication, September 13, 2017). Every person has their own multitude of identities. My interviewer’s own identity contains numerous components as a female, an immigrant from the Congo, and having a middle-class SES. Through her many target and dominant identities, she has acknowledged how these “pieces” have given her a unique viewpoint on the world, and how they have affected her view on issues, such as those pertaining to social justice.

People’s multiple identities are given by their similarities and differences, and their connections with others.’ [1] When considering identity it is import to look at the elements that contribute to the idea of identity. Identity elements range from situational reasons, which can just be temporary to identities based on personal characteristics such as racial, gender and age, which are a constant. Identities of class, place, race and ethnicity vary within context but are difficult to separate, as they are very relational. For

Social identities are a way in which a person’s physical appearance can be presented to others within society. The ability to recognize their own social identities can be seen as a way for an individual to recognize another’s social identities. Through these identities, opportunity for self-reflection within individuals can occur in order to help determine which identities they align with, so that this will help them in being more aware of their own and another individual’s identification. Having an awareness of other’s social identities, recognizing one’s own social group memberships, and evaluating which identities are more identifiable or more challenging in the eyes of another, were themes experienced within this interview. Distinguishing these various classifications of identification help in understanding why and how an individual responds to certain triggers. With Grace McDonald, the interviewee, she identifies as the following: Young adult, Caucasian American, middle class, heterosexual female that is able-bodied and practices Christianity as a religion. Grace’s social identities are important in explaining why she feels oppressed or privileged in certain situations that she encounters. Through reflection after this interview, she has also been able to appreciate the amount of diversity she has.