What makes us who we are? Who gets to decide what is seen as “normal” or what is not normal? Where do we get our sense of self and our sense of what other people should be like? The concept of social identity could explain all of this. Social identity is how you see yourself, how others see you, and how society as a whole sees you. It is the social groups to which we belong that we find our identity and also become the way others define us. Whether you are in a dominant or subordinate social group, it has a profound impact on your social identity. What is a dominant and subordinate group you may ask? As Beverly Tatum writes it in her article “The Complexity of Identity: ‘Who Am I?’”, a dominant group is a social group that “Holds …show more content…
You will see yourself as having the highest valued culture in society (most likely) and society as a whole will think of you to be more prestigious because of the advantages that come with being in a group that holds power. If you are in a subordinate social group, then you will probably be seen by others, especially those from the dominant group as the “other”. For example, gay or lesbian people will often be seen as the “other” in society or abnormal because the dominant sexual orientation is heterosexual. The group (homosexual) that those people belong to begins to define who they are to everyone else. Since mainstream culture and media portrays everyone to be heterosexual, a lot of people do not understand the differences in way of life when it comes to gay people. On the flip side, most gay people know what straight people’s lives are like. As Tatum puts it in her article, “Not only is there a greater opportunity to learn about the dominants, there is also greater need” (12). The reason for there being a greater need for subordinates to know the life of a dominant group is because that is what is widely accepted as normal. You could be seen as the “other” in society if you do not adhere to the dominant group’s standard because they have the power in society and unconsciously force their way of life on everyone else. A subordinate group’s …show more content…
Both sides do not believe the other is actually native. One believes that the other tribe is “a bunch of Mexicans” because of their facial hair and the other tribe thinks that the other players are white because of their skin tone (Weaver 2). These tribes continue to find ways to disprove the others’ native identity by saying they do not have ID cards or that they cannot speak their native language. Since these tribes grew up having different views on how Native Americans should look and act, they had no idea that the other tribe was also native. They were socialized differently based on the part of the country they were raised in. The northern Indians looked like white men to the southern ones, who looked like Mexicans to the northern tribe. Tatum’s argument about how subordinate groups and dominant groups tend not to know much about the other subordinate groups’ cultures can be seen through this story. Since the dominant racial group in America is white, the native tribes tend not to learn much about the other native tribes around the country and associate what their culture is like with every other tribe. As we can see, this is not the case since both tribes have opposing views on what
they do not want to do. They will not always bear the impose roles on
Change is threatening to the Native American people; the emergence of white society has shifted their world and brought ruin. They try to preserve their culture by rejecting white society but have instead made themselves stationary and unable to grow. Tayo’s hybridity, although rejected by many, revives the old traditions of storytelling and ceremonies. The identity of the Native American people is different now that it has meshed with white society. They are survivors of a war with themselves. “It seems like I already heard these stories before… only thing is, the names sound different” (Silko 260).
The social identity theory is a person’s sense of who they are based on their social
It has an impact on how people make themselves behave under their surroundings. Shaw and Lee point out that people face race, gender, class, age identity differently on the basis of “their social location in various structures of inequality and privilege” (47). From my cultural setting, my identities are heterosexual, middle class, female, able-bodied, and non-white, and most of them are privileges in my country. One identity that I have social oppression in this country is race. I don’t have privilege of race because I have different skin color from people who set the social privilege in this country. However, the most crucial identity that I get disadvantages both in the United States and my country is the fact that I am female.
For many of us, when asked “what social group do you fit in?” it may not take much time to identify our place in the society. Some people may respond being apart of a higher class, an artistic crowd, or just look around to their friends to say “I’m with these guys”. Being social may come as natural to most of us, yet why be social? Why be apart of a crowd? And how do the people you associate with affect you? Thinking about why your friend is your friend can help answer these questions. For instance, I became very close friends with someone at my school because they work at Chipotle. My reasoning for associating with this person is discounts. It is common for people to form relationships based on dependence, many teens wouldn’t associate with
Social identities and factors and/or experiences that have shaped your worldview. My Ethnic and cultural traditions and values have molded my social identities, in which both my Ethnic and cultural traditions and values and social identities have formed my worldview. According to my social identity wheel: My race is Asian/Pacific Islander and Filipino American. My ethnicity is Filipino. My sexual orientation is heterosexual. My religion is Roman Catholic. My age is of a young adult. I am a female. My national origin is the United States of America. My sense of who I am is based on my ethnic group that I have identified myself to belong in.
In all aspects of their lives we associate with various groups, for example demographic, cultural or peer groups. Social Identity theory developed by Henri Tajfel in 1979 explains how people develop a sense of belonging and membership in particular groups. This theory explains behaviors in terms of social groups, we form social groups and create perceptions of others and ourselves that are influenced by the various groups to which we belong. A social group is a set of individuals who hold a common social identification or view themselves as members of the same social category (Chen & Li, 2009). Individuals can have multiple, co-occurring identities which could vary. This paper aims to explain how the Social Identity theory is used to explain violence and prejudice behavior and it also looks at the advantages and disadvantages of this theory compared to other theories in explaining the same behavior.
There are many three levels to social structure which include the micro, meso, and macro levels. The micro level is the level that involves just yourself. This is the level that people are usually not ashamed of themselves and are not afraid to admit they are gay or are not ashamed of being a minority of any kind. This level is also the level that one can best feel their identity shaping and forming. The next level is the meso level. This level involves communities such as schools, at the workplace, or on a sports team. This is the level when people often categorize others into groups. One example of this happening was in the video of A Class Divided. At this level there was a sense of community, but also clear categories separating the class. Different eye colors were perceived as ideal or acceptable and if a child did not have that eye color, they were not privileged. In the RDSJ book, Gwyn Kirk and Margo Okazawa-Rey examine how people go the extra mile to fit in with the group standards and expectations. This for example, showed in the video What Would You Do? As people saw the kid stealing the bike, if there was nobody around people usually did not get involved, but if there was a crowd of people, more and more would come. They did this because they wanted to fit in and feel they needed to conform to the patterns of the group. The last level in of social structure would be the macro level. The macro
Starting with the largest I am a human being; I live and function as a human and not as an animal or plant. This seems a little farfetched to apply as a sub-culture but it is a proven fact that even some animal groups have communities and cultures of their own. Also, there are even some humans who choose to live an animalistic lifestyle. In addition, I am Caucasian or white Anglo-Saxon. This is a large sub-group that makes up over 70% of the American population according to the 2010 census (2010 Census). Speaking of America, I am also an American citizen. These are probably the three largest sub-groups I am a part of and there are many more to follow.
As humans, are we allowed to determine our own individuality? If we are, how much of an impact can we make on our own originality? The answer to the first question is yes, however, the answer to the second question is one that has changed over the years due to the advancements of our world. Identity is, in a sense, “an unfolding story…continually recast in the course of experience” (Sennett 175-176). In other words, a person develops their identity through experiences they have in their lifetimes, usually while growing. Nowadays, people have more choice over who they become than they have had in the past. Some examples of this “control” are due to advancements in science and technology, curriculum in education, culture, and what is shown in the media. Because of (but not limited to) these factors, a person has more control but also more influence on the development of their own identity.
A person’s identity is shaped by many different aspects. Family, culture, friends, personal interests and surrounding environments are all factors that tend to help shape a person’s identity. Some factors may have more of an influence than others and some may not have any influence at all. As a person grows up in a family, they are influenced by many aspects of their life. Family and culture may influence a person’s sense of responsibilities, ethics and morals, tastes in music, humor and sports, and many other aspects of life. Friends and surrounding environments may influence a person’s taste in clothing, music, speech, and social activities. Personal interests are what truly set individuals apart. An individual is not a puppet on the string of their puppet-master, nor a chess piece on their master’s game board, individuals choose their own paths in life. They accomplish, or strive to accomplish, goals that they have set for themselves throughout their lifetime. Individuals are different from any other individual in the world because they live their own life rather than following a crowd of puppets. A person’s identity is defined by what shaped it in the first place, why they chose to be who they are, and what makes them different from everybody else in the world. I feel that I have developed most of my identity from my own dreams, fantasies, friends, and idols.
Social identity theory proposed by Henri Tajfel and later developed by Tajfel and Turner in 1971. The theory is to understand intergroup relations and group processes. Social identity theory suggests that the self-concept is based on knowledge of our membership to one or more social groups; people enhance their self-esteem, which can also be boosted by personal achievement and affiliation with successful groups, in attempt to improve their self-image, which is based on personal identity or various social identities.
All around the world, people have been placed in categories. These types of status placements have effected many individuals. Image having to deal with arrogant people continuously, because of their social class. Or feeling like you’re worthless, because how others view you. Many individuals feel as though social classes strip them of their identity. It makes us feel as not as important as the upper class. Stereotyping has always been a lifelong hassle for certain individuals. People are often automatically judged by the way they look, where they live at, how much money is earned or inherited, etc. The list goes on and on. Although the majority of society tries to end segregation, social class is still considered a form of discrimination.
Sociology describes many types of social groups, and each group is viewed differently. The first group is a primary group member that has a personal relationship with each other or face-to-face interaction. Secondary groups are the complete opposite of primary groups because they involve little to no knowledge of each other. Secondary groups also tend to have an impersonal relationship. In-group are what society use to help identify themselves. The out-groups are more of a minority in society, which are people who are different and don’t have the same interests as the in-groups. All of the social groups have a distinction between one another.
How does one create the “self”? How do we form as individuals? Whether a person is male or female, white or black, rich or poor, tall or short, pretty or ugly, fat or skinny, the most important factor is the development of the “self”. The self refers to the unique set of traits, behaviors, and attitudes that distinguishes one person from another (Newman 283). To distinguish between oneself from others, one must be able to recognize their unique traits and characteristics. One must be able to differentiate between one’s own physical appearance and another’s. There are many components such as gender, race, ethnicity, and social class, which shape and influence our values, beliefs, and impression of life. Understanding the difference between sex and gender allows one to grow into their own masculinity and femininity. Recognizing the history of one’s past in regard to their ethnic backgrounds and struggle will shape the development on one’s self. Having the luxury of money and power will affect the self and the way that one appreciates the value of the dollar or lack thereof. One of the most important factors may be one’s physical features which will eventually influence one’s self-confidence and affect the self as a whole. Once an individual has acknowledged the traits of their “self”, they’re in control of either maintaining their self, or changing their self to satisfy their standards.