Us vs. Them: Group identity

Section 4

Objectives

• Describe the types of Groups#4 In society and the Characteristics#3 that hold them together (GO)

• Explain Social and Ethnic Identities with an information square

• Analyze the Us vs. Them studies- ethnocentrism • Describe stereotypes and how they distort

reality

Types of Groups in Society

1. In Group- On the football team2. Out of Group- Not on the football team3. Primary Group- Varsity 4. secondary – Offensive Line

Characteristics that bind

1. Norms- regular drills, Uniforms, 2. Ideology- Wing-T offense; 4-4 cover 3

defense. 3. Commitment- Sacrifice Body, Time, social

leisure, coaches yelling (sometimes), lot of running…but stick with it

Place and Position

• Social identity is the part of a persons self concept that is based on his or her identification with a nation or group, or culture

• National• Political• Professional

Ethnic Identity

• Ethnic identity is a persons identification with a religious or ethnic group

• Acculturation is the process by which members of minority groups come to identify with and feel part of the mainstream culture

• 4 ways to balance ethnic identity and acculturation

Group identitySocial identityThe part of a person’s self-concept based on identification with a nation, culture, or group, or with gender or other social roles

Us vs. them social identities strengthened when groups compete.Robber’s cave studies

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Acculturation #1 and #2

• Bicultural- ethnic and culture strong- “ I am proud of my ethnic heritage but I identify just as much with my country”

• Assimilation- have weak feelings of ethnicity but a strong sense of acculturation- “ I am an American , period.”

Acculturation #3 & #4

• Ethnic separatists- have a strong sense of ethnic identity but weak feelings of acculturations “ My ethnicity comes first; if I join the mainstream, I’m betraying my origins and selling out”

• marginal- connected to neither ethnicity or culture

Ethnic development

• May change in life and experience• Come to N. America= want to be true

American, Canadian or Mexican• Setbacks, discrimination, Acculturation hard,

be ethnic separatist• Many people pick, foods, values, traditions,

customs of the mainstream; while keeping heritage important to self-identity

Ethnocentrism

• Ethnocentrism is the belief that ones own ethnic group, nation, or religion is superior to all others

• Universal, aids survival by joining the group• Attached in language Chinese word for china is

center of the world, Navajo the people• As soon as attach category “US” as a result”

Not us ”

EthnocentrismThe belief that one’s own ethnic group, nation, or religion is superior to all others.

Aids survival by making people feel attached to their own group and willing to work on group’s behalf.

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More us vs. them

• Muzafer sherif 1958- boy scouts 11-12 year old boy, Robbers cave: hostility and competition

• 2 groups eagles/ rattlers built in group identity by building rope bridge, diving board

• Then have direct competition for prizes: football, baseball, tug of war

• Raided each others cabins, fist fights, name calling, talking trash at eating, movie night

Robber’s caveBoys randomly separated into two groupsRattlers and Eagles

Competitions fostered hostility between groups.

Experimenters contrived situations requiring cooperation for success.Result: cross-group friendships increased.

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Sherif cont…

Robbers Cave

• Then create peace rattlers and eagles• Predicaments with common goal, pull truck up

hill, pooling resources• As a result interdependence in reaching

mutual goals reduces ethnocentrism• Eventually made friends with former enemies

Working together

Stereotypes

• Stereotype is a summary impression of a group, in which a person believes that all members of the group share a common trait or traits (positive, negative, or neutral)

• Drive jeeps or BMW’S or lifted trucks, men who wear earrings, women in business suits

• Positives-Can be helpful “ tools in mental tool box”, energy saving device, quickly process new information, brain actually categorizes people by gender, age, race= cognitive efficiency to stereotyping

StereotypesCognitive schemas of a group, in which a person believes that all members of a group share common traitsTraits may be positive, negative, or neutral.

Allow us to process quickly new information and retrieve memories

Distort realityExaggerate differences between groupsProduce selective perceptionUnderestimate differences within groups

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Distort reality in 3 ways

• They exaggerate differences between groups: make different group seem odd, unfamiliar, or dangerous= Not like us

• Produce selective perception- see only evidence that fits stereotype and rejects perceptions that do not fit

• Underestimate differences within other groups- false impression that all the same

Factors on Stereotyping

• Culture values: students, Chinese communism, not late to class, or argue with teacher= being selfish, Disrespect authority

• Australian students: individualism, more appropriate

• Chinese negative stereotype, disrespectful austrailllians

• Australian Chinese spineless

Summaries

• Types of groups/ characteristics• Ethnic Identity• Studies Us vs. Them• Stereotypes