Importance Of Social Identity

Conclusion: The study Demonstrated that people seek a positive social identity and that their social identity is affected by being a part of their group so that you are more positive towards anything that your own group represents.

Identity, the distinguishing of character and persona of an individual. Identity, the social construct that defines us as individuals. Self identity, the ideology in which the individual determines their own self worth. This seems like the idea to distinguish one’s own character; however it does apply to every human being. In many cases, including myself, it is society that is the main influence that molds the being. Its customs have impacted how these individuals think and behave in order for them to fit into its ideals, which can transform many to the point where they are living a totally different identity. Some of these individuals are boys and men who may not fit the perfect image of “masculine,” and may be ridiculed to the point where

I think it’s incredibly crucial to be aware of my social identities at all times. To name them (decreasing in size): gay, white, cis-female, educated,middle-class, able-bodied, and atheist. The social identity wheel forces one to acknowledge our social identities, even if we haven’t put much thought into them prior to the exercise.

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 theory is a person’s sense of who they are based on their group membership(s) (Harwood, 2007). “In social identity theory and identity theory, the self is reflexive in that it can take itself as an object and can categorize, classify, or name itself in particular ways in relation to other social categories or classification” (Stets & Burke, 2000). The social identity theory has been known to let individuals find their own niche and group that they want to belong to. This could include what the individuals are active in or involved in. Research has also found that the groups that they classify themselves in can cause the participants to look down upon other groups that they are not involved in (Harwood, 2007). Negative attitudes are more of a complex issue, but interesting ideas come from explanations that emerge for social identity theory (Harwood,

“We are not born knowing who we are or what our place is in the social landscape; we learn to be American or Japanese, male or female, husband or wife, or Amy, Richard, Micheal, Rachel, or Rebecca.” Our identities are constructed by this “social landscape”. The social construction of identity takes place by living life through first hand experiences and through certain social circumstances. Amartya Sen says,” Classification is certainely cheap, but identity is not. More interestingly, whether a particular classification can plausibly generate a sense of identity or not must depend on the social circumstances.” Identity is a complex matter but can be defined in simple terms. It is who you are. Your personality, the way you act in response to

The acquiring of this knowledge is what leads to us gaining our identity. Social action theorists suggest that there are three main parts to our identity. The first of these parts is the things that make us individual, such as name, signature and photograph. The second aspect is social identity, which is made up of the personality characteristics that are associated with our role in society. For example, I am seen as an older brother, which society may make me out to be annoying and protective of my younger sibling, but I am also seen as a student, who is perceived to be hard-working and well-behaved. The final part of our identity is the concept of ‘self’, or what we think of ourselves, and how we think we play our respective roles.

Identity can be defined as 'how I see myself and how others see me. ' (Questioning Identity. 2000. p7) An identity involves a sense of belonging, an individual chooses to identify with a group and actively engages in doing so, showing agency. This sense of belonging involves being the 'same ' and recognising that others are 'different '. An individual can have multiple identities e.g. gender, supporting a football team; all of these identities make up the individual. Structures such as gender and class, influence, encourage or prevent individuals from identifying with certain groups and therefore shaping the identity.

Society has played a dominant role for the personal identity of an individual based on where they are from or the culture they were raised with in. With an individual’s identity, one may encounter struggles or challenges. Based on where a person is from or their physical appearance, they may experience discrimination or prejudices in various forms and circumstances. In order to understand the basis of social identity, it is important to understand how social identities are formed and what they are, what social justice is and the process and goal for it to be achieved, and what the different types of oppressions are and where they can occur within society. Accordingly, social identity is made up of various components that may or may not result

When looking at ones identity many thing can come in to play. Where are your family from? What are your religious believes? What is your place in society? These thing make up who someone is.

Social identity is most commonly explained as a person’s awareness of who they are according to groups they assign themselves with (social class, teams, family, etc.). When I think about my own social identity I ask myself, “What defines me?” Social identities allow us to have a sense of belonging in a hectic world.

When people introduce themselves, they first talk about their identities because people’s identities determine what kind of people they are. For me, I am an Asian, I am a female, and I am a member of the middle class. Although people sometimes share categories of identity, their perceptions of their identities are formed in different ways. My life and education have shaped my understanding of my identities which, at same time, influences the way I perceive my life and education.

Further, identity is constructed by drawing boundaries: One boundary that is the same as others and one that is different from everyone else. Self-categorization is the first classification in which one identifies with the characteristics shared by those with whom one psychologically belongs. This is referred to “identifying as”, connoting a perceived self-location in a group. This self-identification can be based on a number of things, such as biology, culture, religion, and ethnicity, and can be both optional and imposed. The second classification is “identification with”, which underscores the potential significance of shared values, often outside of those that are sociologically similar. This also entails learning a group’s defining customs, expectations, and values, and making them one’s own. These core values and ideas make up the third component of identity, which is content. The unique content of a group identity is socially constructed because it is these consensual decisions that shape and reinforce the accepted criteria for membership in the group. While social identities are not automatically political, they can be politicized when

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 our social life, each person has one’s own roles and responsibilities, attitudes and values. Since every individual is unique and distinct compared to one another, these elements that construct our individuality are not always similar. Similarities and reflection of our values make us belong to a group, but the differences are barriers that stop ourselves from being recognized as an indivisible part of it. Belonging and identity are inseparable; nonetheless, there are distinctions that create a world of difference between the two. Belonging is not only about to whom we incorporate ourselves the way we perceive it, but also how others recognize our relationship with that group.