System Justification - Theoretical Influences - Social Identity Theory

Social Identity Theory

Within social identity theory, when people are presented with intergroup conflict that threatens their social group identities, people will justify behaviors like stereotyping and discrimination against outgroups in order to maintain their positive group image. This is known as ingroup favoritism. System justification theorists argue this framework has not sufficiently addressed instances of outgroup favoritism in disadvantaged groups, and that this might be in part due to the scope of the theory. Therefore system justification theory builds off social identity theory to help account for instances of outgroup favoritism observed in some disadvantaged group members. That is, people with outgroup favoritism will hold more positive images of other groups (outgroups) than the groups they belong to (ingroups).

Read more about this topic:  System Justification, Theoretical Influences

Famous quotes containing the words social, identity and/or theory:

    Whether in the field of health, education or welfare, I have put my emphasis on preventive rather than curative programs and tried to influence our elaborate, costly and ill- co-ordinated welfare organizations in that direction. Unfortunately the momentum of social work is still directed toward compensating the victims of our society for its injustices rather than eliminating those injustices.
    Agnes E. Meyer (1887–1970)

    I look for the new Teacher that shall follow so far those shining laws that he shall see them come full circle; shall see their rounding complete grace; shall see the world to be the mirror of the soul; shall see the identity of the law of gravitation with purity of the heart; and shall show that the Ought, that Duty, is one thing with Science, with Beauty, and with Joy.
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)

    No one thinks anything silly is suitable when they are an adolescent. Such an enormous share of their own behavior is silly that they lose all proper perspective on silliness, like a baker who is nauseated by the sight of his own eclairs. This provides another good argument for the emerging theory that the best use of cryogenics is to freeze all human beings when they are between the ages of twelve and nineteen.
    Anna Quindlen (20th century)