Human Relationships· Context

Social identity theory

IB Psychology · 2027 Syllabus

Inquiry Question & Thinking Prompt

How does group membership shape our identity and behavior?

Learning Objective

Understand how individuals define themselves through group membership and how this influences intergroup behavior.

📖 Definition / Conceptual Understanding

Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) explains how people derive part of their identity from the groups they belong to.

⚙️ Mechanism / Explanation

Categorization into groups, identification with group norms, and comparison with out-groups. This leads to in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination.

📌 Other Relevant Information

Explains group dynamics, prejudice, and cooperation in relationships.

🃏 Scenario Flip Cards

Click a card to reveal the explanation. Each scenario feeds directly into a Paper 1B practice question — use "Practice P1B" to attempt it.

Scenario: A student feels intense pride in their school team and dismisses rival schools.

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In-Group Favoritism: Demonstrating a preference for one's own group to boost self-esteem.

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Scenario: Assuming all fans of the opposing team are loud and obnoxious.

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Out-group Homogeneity Effect: Perceiving members of an out-group as more similar to each other than they actually are.

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Scenario: Wearing a university hoodie the day after the school's sports team wins a major game.

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Basking in Reflected Glory: Associating oneself with successful groups to elevate social identity.

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🔬 Common Studies

These studies feed directly into Paper 2B practice questions.

📋 What is Required

Paper 1A— Short answer (4 marks)

Describe Social Identity Theory with reference to one relevant study.

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9 marks: Accurate outline of SIT processes (categorization, identification, comparison) and clear link to a study.

Paper 1B— Scenario response (6 marks)

Evaluate Social Identity Theory.

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22 marks: Detailed knowledge of the theory, methodological evaluation of minimal group paradigms, and critical thinking.

💬 ATL Discussion & Theory of Knowledge

ATL Discussion Questions

Factual

What are the three stages of Social Identity Theory?

Conceptual

How does social comparison drive self-esteem?

Debatable

Is conflict inevitable when groups are formed?

Link to Theory of Knowledge

To what extent does group membership limit our ability to acquire objective knowledge about others?

🔗 Link to Concepts

Select a concept to explore how it connects to this topic. These connections also feed into Paper 1C practice questions.

Link to Measurement

How do researchers manipulate artificial identities in experimental settings?

🧠 Quick Quiz

Which theory explains how people derive part of their identity from the groups they belong to?

Who are the primary theorists associated with Social Identity Theory?

What is a key outcome of the social comparison process in Social Identity Theory?

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