The Preconditions of Social Identity of a Small State in Transition to Democracy

Identity is a group of characteristics, data or information that belongs exactly to one person or a group of people and that make it possible to establish differences between them. The consciousness that people have about themselves is part of their identity as well as what makes them unique. According to psychologists, identity is a consistent definition of one’s self as a unique individual, in terms of role, attitudes, beliefs and aspirations. Identity tries to define who people are, what they are, where they go or what they want to be or to do. Identity could depend on self-knowledge, self-esteem, or the ability of individuals to achieve their goals. Through self-analysis people can define who they are and who the people around them

The Social Identity theory (SIT) was proposed by Henry Tajfel. It was then later developed by Tajfel and Turner in 1971 to help them understand inter group relations. The Social Identity theory assumes that individuals strive to improve their self-image by trying to enhance their self-esteem, through social (in and out groups) and personal identities. There are 4 main concepts within the social identity theory all of which will be discussed in the essay.

Identity. What is identity? One will say that it is the distinct personality of an individual. Others will say that identity is the behavior of a person in response to their surrounding environment. At certain points of time, some people search for their identity in order to understand their existence in life. In regards, identity is shaped into an individual through the social trials of life that involve family and peers, the religious beliefs by the practice of certain faiths, and cultural awareness through family history and traditions. These are what shape the identity of an individual.

Social identity: An identity given by connections to other people and social situations. Similar to a personal identity. For example, middle-classed bank manager.

Personal and social identity is a fundamental unit for students as it provides a starting point for them to conceptualise how their personal experiences interconnects with public knowledge and understand the role of socialisation. As mentioned in the assessment the class consists of a diverse number of ethnic backgrounds and ability so this unit is crucial for them to understand how they fit in different social and cultural settings. In a way the diversity found in a class makes for an interesting interactions and discussions which will contribute to their understanding in the unit. This of course is limited by students ' willingness to share such information thus the activities in this unit have

“Project of the self" is one of the most significant concepts created by Anthony Giddens. The author bases his ideas of self-identification upon influence of the modern world and changes created by the process of globalization (Giddens, 1991). The main argument is strong. However the study seeks some further explanations of the role of identity in the social life of individuals.

Social identity is the most significant way one views oneself both as a person and in relation to other people, the main topic of this research is the identity and sense of community from the specific group of people that were born and raised in “La Huasteca” region in San Luis Potosi.

We each have a unique personality that no one else can match perfectly but our social identity is a way to connect to other through our similar characteristics. King (2012) states “Social identity is the way individuals define themselves in terms of their group membership” (pg. 428). We all have titles we carry with us like being a mother or father, a daughter or son, and even a sister or brother the list can go on and on. Within these individualities we have a

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

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

Social identity theory, it is a person’s sense that is based around the group they are in, either by their personal identity or with different kinds of social identities. That is, people will try to improve their own image of themselves. The theory was proposed by Henri Tajfel. People can increase their self-esteem by both their own achievement and interaction with a successful group of people. This shows the importance of social belonging. This theory is based around three mental processes, social categorization, social identification and social comparison.

Though identity suggests to an aspect of individuality it is really a result of socialization. Identity is how we see

In most case, identity is shaped by culture. Since culture is a set of ideals life practices, routines and attitudes set up by a certain community hence culture plays a major role in shaping the identity of an individual. An individual’s character and attributes can be because of their background. This is due to the set up that one has grown up (Dumas 19). People tend to learn more about their culture, and as they grow up it becomes part of them. They embrace the culture’s beliefs and tend to do things following the set routines. The aspect of following the set routine and beliefs play a significant part in shaping the identity of an individual.

This particular theory views identity as conditional and self motivated as well as being related to one’s culture. Although other theories on identity consider the personal and social identity to be separate, SCT considers the personal and social identity to be

Identification is “the ongoing process that describes the way in which individuals and groups see themselves and the way others see them.” It refers to the way people develop their cultural identity; language, ethnicity, religion and social class are all examples of social characteristics that give people a shared sense of belonging. Pountney and Maric (2015) pages 144-5.