Social identity is a concept that every psychologist faces. In many scientific works this term is found. In this article we will try to understand what social identity is, what its types and characteristic features are. You will also learn how it affects a personās personality.
Identification and self-identification
The concepts of identity and identification are especially important to distinguish between the study of intergroup relations. They are close in meaning, but differ significantly as scientific terms. Identification in the general sense is likening something to something. In the humanities and social sciences, in particular in psychology, various types of identification are distinguished. For example, it is often defined as the establishment of the identity of an unknown material object to an object already known on the basis of the coincidence of certain significant signs. There is such a thing as personal identification, or self-identification. This is the prevailing attitude of a person to himself.
Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, first introduced the concept of identification. However, it was in social psychology that it gained the greatest distribution. Freud initially regarded identification as an unconscious imitation process. He believed that this is one of the ways of psychological protection of the individual. In social psychology, it is believed that identification is an important condition for socialization, the assimilation by a person (especially children) of patterns and patterns of behavior in society. As a result of socialization, the individual accepts his social roles. He realizes that he belongs to a certain group (age, professional, religious, political, racial, ethnic), the norms of which must be followed.
Concept of identity
Identification in modern terminology is a phenomenon that we observe as if from the outside. In this case, we can ascertain the presence of a certain process, determine its result. There is such a thing as identity. It refers to the state of the inner world of the individual. This is a subjective attribution of oneself to a certain social group (class, type, type). So, identity in its most general form is the identification of a person with others.
Henry Tajfel personality system
Henry Tajfel, an English psychologist, is the creator of the theory of social identity. He made a significant contribution to the study of the psychology of relations between groups. In accordance with the theory of Henry Tajfel, you can imagine the "I-concept" of the individual in the form of a system that regulates all kinds of forms of social behavior. This system includes two subsystems. The first of these is personal identity. She is responsible for how a person identifies himself, is a combination of individual intellectual, physical, moral and other characteristics of a person. The second subsystem is group identity. She is responsible for assigning the individual to professional, ethnic and other groups. The transition from a personal to a group identity in human consciousness corresponds to a transition from various forms of interpersonal social relations to intergroup relations, and vice versa.
Tajfelās work has become widespread among scientists. In addition, in social psychology, they gave rise to a discussion about the relationship between personal and social identity. This discussion continues to this day.
Personal and social identity
Self-identification is a concept that in the traditional sense is a set of individual characteristics that distinguish a particular person from other people. As for social identity, it is often considered as the result of an individual's awareness of his belonging to certain social groups. In the process of this awareness, a person acquires the characteristics inherent in these groups. It should be noted that at both the empirical and practical levels, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between such concepts as personal and social identity. Researchers are often forced to think about what they are dealing with.
Types of Social Identity
The term "identity" in modern humanities and social sciences is used very widely. It should be understood that this is not a property that is inherent in the individual. Identity is a personās attitude to himself in the world, which is forming and developing over time in terms of interaction with people. A number of psychologists believe that it is inherent only to individual subjects. They believe that identity can be attributed to groups only in a metaphorical sense.
Scientists talk about ethnic, professional, political, regional, age, gender identity, etc. Types can change, because in the structure of personality the meaning of each of them is different. It depends on temporary and situational factors, such as a personās place of residence, type of activity, age, education, worldview, etc.
Ethnic identity
It can be activated or fade away as a result of a change in a personās attitude to the national community to which he belongs. Most often, ethnic identity is not formed as a result of the āattributionā of other people to a certain national attribute (although this happens). She usually appears in the process of awareness, individual self-determination. For example, if a personās surname has obvious ethnic characteristics, this does not mean his identity. This is not enough for self-determination of an individual as a representative of a certain nationality, although this also occurs in a society characterized by clear ethnic contradictions.
Gender identity
It is created in early childhood during the biological development of man. Apparently, it can be determined not only by biological factors, but also social. For example, non-traditional sexual orientation (sexual identity) is a very difficult phenomenon to understand, since in our days there is an active struggle to determine the norms and conditions of gender identity. This problem cannot be solved within the framework of social psychology. It requires a systematic analysis involving the opinions of a large number of specialists - culturologists, biologists, psychiatrists, lawyers, etc. The individual and group are currently forced to compromise, since the non-traditional social identity of a person causes discomfort to many members of society.
Identity and personality development
The personality is largely shaped by the influence of society. As studies show, age, ethnicity, gender identity are central components of a common social identity. Problems of the age, ethnic or gender component can greatly impede the existence and normal development of the individual. For example, they can destroy physical and mental health with all the ensuing consequences.
Professional identity
Another most important task facing an individual at a certain stage is the formation of a professional identity. Often, scientists talk about professional self-determination. This process does not end in youth after choosing a profession or getting an education. A person is often forced to self-determine in his activities throughout his life. It depends not only on the individual himself, but also on external circumstances. An example is economic crises. Some professions as a result of these crises are unnecessary, while others become more in demand. A person is forced to adapt to a changing labor market.
Social groups as subjects and objects of social identification
Social identity is a concept that in modern social psychology is central to understanding the specifics of intergroup relations. After all, this is the key moment that unites the individual and the group to which she belongs. It should be noted that social groups of a society are a highly heterogeneous phenomenon. Therefore, it is important to determine what we mean by this term.
These associations of individuals are distinguished by a variety of characteristics and parameters, despite the fact that there are common signs of a social group. Therefore, it would be logical to assume that the process of social identification in its specificity is determined by the properties of the groups to which this person belongs.
The characteristic features of a social group are as follows:
- a certain way of interaction of its members, which is due to a common cause or interests;
- awareness of membership in this group, a sense of belonging to it, manifested in the protection of its interests;
- awareness of the unity of the representatives of this association or the perception of all its members as a whole, not only by them, but also by people around them.
Group Status and Social Identity
Scientists note that those who belong to high-status social groups usually think less about group membership than those related to low-status ones. The fact is that membership in such elite associations of individuals is a certain standard. Other social groups compare their identity with this standard.
Membership in stigmatized, discriminated, low-status groups leads to a negative social identity. In this case, individuals often resort to special strategies. Through various means, they achieve a positive social identity of the individual. They either strive to leave this group and enter a more highly regarded group, or to make their group more perceived more positively.
As you can see, the formation of social identity is a complex and multidimensional process. Of course, it requires further study.