Interactionist Social Identity Theory

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What is social identity theory? The title is the question that everyone asks. So, to answer that question, the meaning of the theory is an “interactionist social psychological theory of the role of self-conception and associated cognitive processes and social beliefs in group processes and intergroup relations” (Hogg, 2016). In basic definition, it means how someone identifies themselves in a group setting or a particular group and not in another. Knowing the meaning to the theory is just half of it. There are many things that social identity theory relates to or includes the history, the communication, and personal experience. History
First, everyone must know the history of social identity theory. This theory started with a man named Henri
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Communication plays a huge role in social influence and the norms of groups. It relates to social identity theory because people use communication to express their belonging in a group. Which is what the theory is all about, the way people identify themselves. In history, the research on the communication was not present; however, throughout the past several years it has become more present. Today an awareness and a growing body of scholarship that at least implicitly recognizes the relations between communication and SIT (Social Identity Theory) in organizational identification research (Scott, 2007). This research will help better understand the issues related to identification and organization. Some say that communication play a small role in this theory, but indeed it plays a key role. Without communication, nobody would know what one is thinking. Communication deals with verbal and nonverbal cues. Some major communication uses with this theory are computer-mediated communication, virtual work, and organizational. Computer-mediated communication is communication between people using technology devices. One of the “clearest points of integration between communication and SIT has been their efforts to look how social identities are socially constructed during the interactions of online groups” (Scott, 2007). Other than the virtual and computer world of communication this theory also deals with organizational …show more content…
A personal experience is when someone experiences something internally and externally of an event. Everyone has a different experience with the theory. At this point, everyone knows what social identity theory is so now let’s look at one personal experience. I have personally experienced social identity theory when me and friend went to the movies. My friend was an African American male and everyone was staring at us when we walked in. We wondered why everyone was looking at us like we weren’t supposed to be there, but then we realized they were judging us. This relates to social identity theory because of the prejudice part of it. Group members of an in group will seek to find negative aspects of an out group, thus enhancing their self-image (McLeod, 2008). In this situation, I was a part of the out group, so I was being put in a social identity by just being with my friend. There are many more experiences in the world, just not mine. The experiences will continue until the end of the

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