Explain the content of social identity theory (SIT)

SIT as proposed by Tajfel is an example of social cognition theory as it described the underlying cognitive processes humans go through as they affiliate to a group forming a group/social identity. One’s self concept consists of one personal identity and multiple social identities satisfying the inherent need to belong as proposed by SCLOA theorists. Humans strive for positive social identities in an attempt to induce their self-esteem through dominant group membership plus personal achievement. Tajfel aimed to explain the simple cognitive steps involved in the formation of social identity: Social categorization refers to the automatic response of dividing our social context into groups based on similarity in an attempt to simplify our perception. This is followed by an unconscious tendency to accentuate similarities with our in-group and differences from our out-group (category accentuation effect). Gradually this leads to the formation of a Social identity where the “I” becomes “us” for our in-group and “them” for our out-group. Humans have a need for social comparison, which they do with relevant out-groups driven by the need for positive distinctiveness, often leading to bias though (group serving bias). Tajfel opposed existing theories and illustrated empirically that minimal group conditions are required to elicit intergroup discrimination. In fact, no conflict, no competition, no self- interest, no past nor future are required for in-group bias to occur.