Social Identity Theory - an Overview - Assignment Example

TABLE OF CONTENTS ITEM PAGE # Week 4 Portfolio Task: Eating Habits: taste or symbol? 2 Social Identity 3 Expression of Social Identity 3 Detailed description of Informant 4 Responses contributed to establish a particular social identity 4 Week 5 Portfolio Task: Locating a good Informant 7 Local Speech Community 8 Focussed Speech Community 8 Diffuse Speech Community 9 Speech Norm 9 Social Network 9 Network Strength 9 Sociolinguistic Marker 10 Choice of Speech Community 10 Social Conflict 10 Cultural contradictions 12 Informal techniques of social control 12 Managing Impersonal Social Relationships 13 Week 6 Portfolio Task: Carrying out an ethnographic interview 14 Carry out an ethnographic interview 15 Preparation for the Interview/Conversation 15 Listening and questioning techniques 16 Interesting phrases used by the informant 17 What I might do differently next time and why 18 References 20 Appendix “A” Dietary Table 21 Appendix “B” Partial transcript 22 Week 4 Portfolio Task: Eating Habits: taste or symbol? Social identity As developed by Tajfel,(1979) social identity theory is a diffuse but interrelated group of social psychological theories concerned with when and why individuals identify with, and behave as part of, social groups, adopting shared attitudes to outsiders. It is also concerned with what difference it makes when encounters between individuals are perceived as encounters between group members. Social identity theory is thus concerned both with the psychological and sociological aspects of group behavior. As individuals we all possess a storehouse of identities ( personal and social). Each one of these identities in our storehouse sends messages to the person as to who he/she is. The fascinating aspect of this storehouse of identities, is that relative to the situation which we are confronted with at any given time, usually dictates the identity which is salient or appropriate. Taifel postulated that social behavior exists on a spectrum from the purely interpersonal to the purely intergroup.In my assessment, what he was saying is if there is a personal encounter, then we tend to relate to others in an interpersonal manner, and the level of this interpersonal action is dependent upon who we perceive the person as being, as well as the type of relationship which we share with the individual.It is noted, that social identity, can be much more important than personal identity, and once we perceive that the dynamics are glearingly different, it becomes obvious that social identity has manifested itself as group behavior. Expression of social identity We possess the tendency to acknowledge people based on the work they do, their religion, their race or ethnicity or their gender. This is the process of catergorization. Also, we each possess the selfish desire to have a certain level of self-esteem, so we associate ourselves with certain or specific intergroups. It is a natural occurrence, when we are a member of a group, that we lobby for, and seek ways to elevate our group above those of others. There is a special built in bias, towards likeness. And there is a heavy psychological distinctiveness, wherein we strive to secure the most positive ranking and to place our group in an advantageous pillar above all others. Detailed description of Informant I decided to use my spiritual adviser as my informant. He has been a person of special interest in my life for a number of years, and has always imparted good sound advice concerning my spiritual being and my personal growth. We communicate often about faith based issues affecting my life., responses contributed to establish a particular social identity My spiritual adviser has shared meals with me on a number of occasions, so I commenced this conversation with somewhat of a heads up, concerning some of his dietary preferences.However, I was aware that I did not know the full range of his dietary practices purpose for me. My spiritual adviser informed me that when he eats away from home, as on days he does not pack a special lunch, he has a fruit salad and some crackers. He will occasionally have a tuna fish sandwich on rye, minus tomatoes, and a dill pickle on the side. He goes on to say that he prefers to keep his lunches light, and he has never eaten any type of meat for lunch. This was an interesting revelation, but it was even more interesting, that he did not state why he prefers the type of lunches which he tends to lean towards. Schema analysis is based on the idea that there is too much information about reality for people to deal with and that people must carry around some simplifications that help make sense of the wealth of information to which they are exposed (Casson 1983:430). The number of hours I spend at the desk top, and those of my friends who also put in considerable hours, brings to mind a common conversation concerning lost information, It might be said that someone lost their data, because they did not save it. In conveying this incident, we know that it was not lost because it was not saved. There are a number of links which have been omitted, but they are just as easily filled by someone who knows how. My spiritual adviser, has a commitment towards keeping his blood pressure and cholesterol at reasonable levels. As a consequence, he avoids fried fatty foods and those which have high acidic content. My spiritual advisers stated dietary practices places him in the category of those who believe in obtaining the daily recommended requirements of foods which contain the necessary nutrients and vitamins per serving. There is of course a psychological distinctiveness, as he prides himself from avoiding power lunches, which involves foods which are high in caloric content, and high in fat, such as those which are served in restaurants, cafeterias etc. His social identity places him among those who are health conscious, and aware of the needs of his body. He considers beef, pork, lamb, rabbit, chicken, duck, turkey, and peasant, as being edible. Of the group, he is no longer interested in beef, or pork He is also interested in eating most varieties of seafood. Considering the animals which he has an interest, he maintains that he must not consume their internal organs, because they represent a hazard to his health.He smiles at the thought of having to consume animals which are not commonly considered to be for commercial consumption, but his attitude, if not given a choice is , never say never. He intimated that when he was in the Armed Forces, in some places in Asia, the natives were known to consume dogs. He says the story from them was it was the most delicious meat one can devour. As for a sparrow, he says they have a sweet taste, even when roasted over an open fire. He says that he likes most types of vegetables, but he has an aversion for squash and egg plant. It happens frequently, that he is seated in close proximity to people who are consuming dishes which he will not eat. However, he does not think ill of them, nor is he compelled to change tables or seats. He has a civil attitude towards those who consume foods which he considers to be offensive. Week 5 Portfolio Task: Locating a good informant Local Speech Community A speech community is comprised of a group of speakers who share a common language, and a specific pattern for language use.The feature which denotes the existence of a speech community is that the members speak more frequently with each other, than they do with individuals who are not members of their community. There are various categories of speech communities, and the type previously mentioned is commonly referred to as communicative isolation. This type of communication is fostered by cultural, economic, geographic and social factors. Due to the intrinsic nature of this type of speech community, the longer the group prevails, the tendency is to speak a language which is totally different from those in other communities. It is completely normal for individuals to belong to more than one speech community, for example, teens belong to a specific speech community which is comprised of their peer group, and yet another group which consist of their family. The primary adult speech community is, the co-workers from their place of employment. While it is customary for individuals to adjust their language whenever they cross certain markers, such as gender, authority, or cross-cultural. In keeping with this pattern, there are different types of speech communities Focussed Speech Community we can generally find these types of communities in small southern towns, where there has not been a considerable amount of movement, nor has there been a sizeable amount of in migration to the community by its. The attitudes as well as the speech norm has persisted over generations. Diffuse Speech Community we are more prone to find this type of speech community in large urban areas, on a macro level. The nature of the type of existence, such as cultural diversity and socio- economic status, a predominance of individuals with increased mobility would normally preclude its inhabitants possessing a particularly identifiable speech variety. However, on a micro level in a city like New York, in certain communities within the city, members possess certain common characteristics in speech. Speech Norm In general these are the rules which are inherently adhered too in the use of a language by those who speak that language Social Network There are standing relationships which exist between members of any group; an analysis of the relationships which exists between the members places credence on the social and language patterns which foster these relationships. Network Strength There is a common bond which binds individuals of a particular speech community together in a cohesive unit. The measure of cohesiveness is gauged by assessing density and multiplexity (Chapter 5). In characterizing density; if an individual has two friends and none of them are acquainted with the other, then this is characterized as a loose network. On the other hand if you have two friends and they are all acquainted then the network is dense. With multiplicity within a network, one has interconnected relationships. One type of multiplicity could be where your brother-in-law is also your pastor. Sociolinguistic Marker a sociolinguistic variable the variants of which are distributed according to both social class and social context.(Chapter 5). Choice of Speech Community Spradley (1979) suggests that whenever searching text for evidence of social conflict, cultural contradictions, informal techniques of social control, methods that people use in managing impersonal social relationships, is likely to yield major themes in cultures. The speech community which I have selected my informants from is that of communicative isolation.I have selected two teenage boys; both 16 years of age, one of African ethnicity and one Caucasian. I have selected them because I am personally intrigued by the language which they speak, which they say is English, but is totally isolationist. I am confident that the informants will fit easily into the Spradley model. Social Conflict Instead of referring to my informants as the African and the Caucasian, I have provided them with the names of Frank (The Caucasian) and James (the African).The two boys are schoolmates and reside in the same middle-class neighborhood with their respective parents.They make a very interesting pair, because James is drawn to Frank because he is the only person not of his ethnicity who truly understands what he is about. As he puts it; my snow roadie knows how to keep it reel jus like a real dawg. And Frank says he is drawn to James because, he know how ta be me, but he still be himself. Kinda like a lizard, when we holler at him we call him Camille. James smile at the revelation of his monika or street name and impishly says, das what I been talking bout, my snow roadie no how ta keep it real. Frank says some of his friends initially gave him the ras about bringing frank around, but he convinced them to be patient, and now they also seek frank out because he is a good be-box singer, and serves as a background for some of their impromptu rap sessions. I was not aware of be-box and asked Frank to inform me about the nature of the technique. He said, its wen ya full of the skill of noin the beat of th get down crew, and no how ta stay one step ahead of the next lyric. Now it gotta be tight, less da fellas a fo dig it. These two guys form the nucleus of a ten member dense group of friends, all boys. On the matter of girlfriends, frank says, I kinds solo at present, cause dear ain’t too much snow queens who on the same planet I orbit. My bar is kinda high, I ain’t lookin fa no mobile trash. James is sitting smiling as he listens to the lament of Frank, and I ask him why is he smiling at his friends words and he offers. Dear is a number of sistas who’s scopin on my snow roadie, but he shys out on dem. They both laugh at the disclosure of this information. Frank offers an explanation for his benevolent attitude, and whether its social correctness, or actually his moral code, is open for interpretation. He says, was I’m sayin is, I gotta cop all the time I kan git to ma skill, I ain got no duckies fa no baby mama in the immediate. Cultural Contradictions If one does not pay strict attention to which of the two young men is speaking at any given time, it is easy to think that the only speaker is James. While I found this dialogue fascinationg. I also found it somewhat amusing. Frank has totally immersed himself into the hip-hop lifestyle, and the only ones who know who the other Frank was, is probably his parents and possibly his siblings. He dresses hip-hop, totally thinks hip- hop, and of course he can speak the language. I have viewed vintage movies which featured beat-niks, and they always seemed just a little pretentious. On the same note, I have encountered some of my contemporaries who are attempting to relate to the hip-hop phenonoma, and they all come across as reading a script, which was prepared by someone else. Not so with Frank. On the other hand, James is also in a cultural warp, because he is a middle-class kid. The lifestyle he maintains and the language which he speaks, is not manufactured in his immediate environment. Informal Techniques of Social Control Immediately when meeting these two young men, it is clear that both of them are adept in the art of social communication. They are keenly aware of the nuances, and how to respect boundaries. At the same time, they are aware of who they individually and collectively are. They make it clear that most adults, including their parents are not in touch with who they presently are. James offers this account. My dad is a multinational big dawg, he ain’t from nowhere about way my heads at, him and me ain’t on the same planet, cept we have the same crib. But, he lays out the playin field. I gotta sho at the crib after the stars show, before the sun comes up.When he gets a case of high blood, he will draw a line in the sand. Alls I kin do is go would da flow. Managing Impersonal Social Relationships Both of the boys are into music and this brings them in contact with number of different people; both musicians and non-musicians. They say they view the non- musicians as potential fans and the musicians as either corroborators or competitors.In any event, everyone must be treated with mutual respect. It a never in the right mine to dis nobody. Every Joe an even some of the babes carry heat. An a nobody bashful bout usin they stuff. We got bout ten roadies who we get down wit, and we watch each others back. Week 6 Portfolio Task: carrying out an ethnographic interview/conversation Carrying out an Ethnographic Interview Preparation for the Interview/Conversation After I decided that an interview with at least two teens who were individuals of a hip-hop lifestyle would be a fascinating avenue to pursue, I was confronted with the dilemma of how would I find two such individuals who would be amenable to such an interview.I phoned a friend who gave me the number of a friend who had a relative, whom he said would meet my criterion. I arranged a meeting with my friends friend and we met over coffee one evening, to discuss the likely hood of my meeting the teen he had in mind. There was one very pressing question which I had of the go between, and that was how well acquainted was he with the teen in consideration. He said he was an acquaintance of the teens father, and he had spoken with the teen on several occassions, while on visits to their home. Their brief encounters concerned the discussion of football and afew passing references to music. The main thing was he assured me that the teen was not a negative sort, and from what he knew of the teens parents, he should be of fine moral character. We arranged for me to meet the teen on a Saturday afternoon at a small eatery. Much to my surprise and delight, when the young man appeared, he had a friend in tow.The four of us chatted for better than one hour. The boys had to leave for a jam session as they put it, but I found them to be ideal. I informed them of my intent, and they consented to sit with me when and if I was ready, but that they would need at least two days advance notice. I took the phone number of both teens and, committed to phoning them sometime during the up coming week. They only had two concerns, one was where would I be conducting the interview and how much time did I think it would last? I informed them that the actual interview would take place in a venue similar to the setting which we were presently in, and that the actual interview would not be longer than one hour and thirty minutes. Listening and questioning techniques While I structured a formal list of questions which I wanted to ask my informants, I knew that I had to remain true to the purpose of Effective ethnographic interviews. I was determined to collect in-depth qualitative information about my informants. I found myself deviating from the script. Also, I had to forego, the standard type setting for ethnographic interviews, which is either in the informants home setting or at work. Neither of the boys felt comfortable enough to have the interviews in the homes of their parents, so I merely created a venue where they would feel confortable, and we met at an eatery. Obviously, whenever the interview is conducted in the classic setting, one has an opportunity to visualize artifacts, and other information or material, which serves as validation for the information being offered.However, this did not detract from the quality of information. The fact that I interviewed the two teens simultaneously, provided validation for the information which each of them offered.The informants were extremely candid, often taking my questions into areas where I originally felt, when preparing the questions, would be crossing the line. I asked the question, Would you say that your social lives are on par with other teens your age? I anticipated a simple yes or no from each teen, and then I had a follow up question, for either response. Which I did not ask, because, the response which I received was both candid and elaborate from both teens. Frank said, It is wha it is, an tha sounds is way its at. I got Camille an tha other jamming set I keep ma time wit. At dis juncture in ma planet, a sweetie wud git in tha way, cause day wanna have max sharing, and I aint in ta dat in tha immediate. He was saying that his life is what it is at present, and right now, its all about his music and his male friends. He is focused on horning his skills and he gets that done, by spending his time with Camille (James’ street name), and those in their immediate circle. To have a girlfriend would be too demanding on his time and, he would have to sacrifice his music development to devote to the known demands of a girlfriend. Nonetheless, he likes his life as it is for now. Interesting Phrases Used by the Informant When preparing my questions, I was cognizant of the fact that I would be dealing with a diverse situation so I prepared a question which addressed this topic from a social point of view. Given the fact that the two of you come from the same economic background, but you come from different cultural backgrounds, how do you think other people feel or think about the relationship you share? The absolute best response of the day came from Camille (James) he smiled the broadest of the two, as if he had a pat answer for the question and he phrased it, in what I considered to be a cross between Jamacian and American hip-hop lingo, Man we ain’t no politician, we musician. Da sounds we create go cross all race lines.Da way I see da ting man, is we is startin something dat da whole planet need ta know. We jus all people. Long as ya do dis me man, I ge ya respect.He wiggles his buttocks in his seat, while snapping his fingers a couple of times, and he says, we jus jammin, as he reaches over to give Frank a high five.They both emit a belly full of laughter. It was a light moment, yet a very profound one. The boys had come to terms with the human side of their existence. Their state of being dictates that they emit positive vibes, and this began with accepting all people as co-inhabitants on this earth.That mutual respect is the most basic element which should be practiced by all. Kearney et al. (1995) looked at how substantive categories were related. . To begin with, Kearney et al. identified five major categories, which they called: VALUE, HOPE, RISK, HARM REDUCTION, and STIGMA MANAGEMENT. The phrase used by Camille(James), is an aspect of a grounded theory, and contains all of the elements, to qualify it for placement in the sustentative category. what I might do differently next time, and why All of the preliminary preparations which I pursued were done in accordance with ethics and good practices. However, the next time, I would like to have more lead time, which might enable me to become acquainted with the parents of the teens. This would augment my validation process, and also provide me with a macro profile. I feel I would be better able to formulate questions, if I am also given the mind set of the parents. Additionally, having said that, I would also be in a better position to request the parents to permit me to interview their teen in the residence, either in the family room, or the teens room. Also, with meeting the parents and receiving their approval, I could interview each teen separately. Providing each with the level of comfort which is necessary for each to provide personal elaboration. References Casson, Ronald. 1983. Schemata in Cultural Anthropology. Annual Review of Anthropology 12:429 462. Chen, Y. and Li,X., (2006), Group Identity and Social Preference, Retrieved on line on July 25, 2008, from www.wikipedia.com Kearney, M. H., S. Murphy, K. Irwin, and M. Rosenbaum. 1995. Salvaging Self A Grounded Theory of Pregnancy on Crack Cocaine. Nursing Research 44(4):208 213. Speech Communoties, Chapter 5, Retrieved on line on July 25, 2008, from www.ac.wwu.ed Spradley, James P. 1979. The Ethnographic Interview. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Tajfel, Henri; Turner, John (1979). "An Integrative Theory of Intergroup Conflict", in Austin, William G.; Worchel, Stephen: The Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations. Monterey, CA: Brooks-Cole, 94-109. ISBN 0818502789. OCLC 4194174. Retrieved on 2008-07-21. Appendix “A” Diet Table Type of Foods Foods eaten Foods not eaten Brown Rice X White Rice X Breads………. White X Wheat X Rye X Animals…. Chicken Chicken white meat X Chicken dark meat X Chicken feet X Chicken liver X Turkey Turkey white meat X Turkey dark meat X Duck X Peasant X Pig X Cow X Lamb X Goat X Seafood Most fish X Shell fish X Oysters X Clams X Scallops X Vegetables Tomatoes X Cucumbers X Egg plant X Potatoes X Cabbage X Leafy greens X Beets X Green beans X Appendix “B” Transcript 1. How many siblings do you have? James says he has one younger sister. Frank says he has one brother, and one sister both younger than he. 2. Are both of your parents in the household? Both teens say they have mother and father present in the household. 3. As far as school is concerned, is there a specific curriculum path you are pursuing? James says that at the insistence and guidance of his father, he is involved in a curriculum which prepares him for university. Frank on the other hand says he is preparing for college, but he has directed all of electives toward music, just in case he decides against attending university. He said there is a possibility that he might attend an arts institute. 4. How about your friends, are they also preparing for university? In their immediate network of friends, only about half of them, (in that there are ten in the network, only about three, including the two of them), are pursuing a curriculum which prepares them for university. 5. There is usually something special or unique which mends a friendship, what is the glue that holds this relationship together? Frank says, he my dawg. We first scoped rach other out at school, cause we dress da same, an dears some wd say we rap da same. Wen I first got down wd Camille I knowed right off da bat, he was gonna be my dawg. We got our sounds in common and we got some of da same values.It doa matte ta me, he is real people.James has similar sentiments, and he attests to the fact that he previously received some heat for hanging with Frank. He says. Dis my snow dawg. He no how ta get down like any brother I no. Dat wz a life time ago,when some of me otter roadies, thought my brain was palyin jingle bells. But in dis lifetime da all no my snow dawg cam be-box wd da best of dem. Beside, he got mad people skilss wd his talent. 6. What exactly is be-box? Camille said, its wen ya full of the skill of noin the beat of th get down crew, and no how ta stay one step ahead of the next lyric. Now it gotta be tight, less da fellas a go dig it. Da brothers da a razing me no more bout dis guy, cause now da no he is da best day no. He sums it up affectionately by adding, He kinda like a African grandmaster, he a novelty. Read More