Social Identity Theory

What does it mean when we say that a social identity has become "salient"?

• That we are unaware of the influence of that particular social identity.

• That it can change over time.

• That is resistant to change.

• That we are more aware of that particular social identity.

Which of the following is not a component of social identity theory?

• Social comparison

• Social categorization into in-groups and out-groups

• In-group bias and the tendency to use group identity to promote self-esteem.

• Social cognitive learning theory

What were the findings of Tajfel & Turner’s “Kandinsky vs Klee” study?

• The boys' level of self-esteem increased as a result of being in their in-group.

• The boys began to show more competition when they believed that they were competing with an out-group, rather than against members of their in-group.

• The boys began to dislike members of the out-group.

• The simple act of categorizing oneself as a member of a group led the boys to display in-group favoritism.

Which of the following is a limitation of Social Identity Theory?

• The studies were case studies and therefore cannot be replicated. The studies have low reliability.

• It has very few applications in the real world.

• The theory is not able to predict which social identity will most influence an individual's behaviour in a particular situation.

• The theory is not falsifiable.

How did Abrams manipulate the IV in his study on SIT and conformity?

• The participant was either a psychology student or a history student.

• The lines were all different lengths.

• Sometimes the confederates gave the wrong answer and sometimes they gave the correct answer.

• He told the participant that the participants were either psychology students or ancient history students.

How did Drury test the role of SIT in helping behaviour?

• He used virtual reality to carry out an experiment.

• He carried out a naturalistic observation.

• He carried out a field experiment.

• He carried out a quasi-experiment.