Identity

Minimal Group.
A technique used by Tajifel in his experiment to test Social Identity Theory.

Working in isolation, each boy was asked to allocate points, to be exchanged for money, to 1. A Pair of boys from his own group (ingroup) 2. A pair of boys from the outgroup 3. A pair with one boy from each group.

Social Identity Theory (SIT)
Tajfel's theory of SIT sees identity as divided into social groups (Social, Personal & Parental)

Central to SIT is Tajfel's concept that we identify with some groups and choose to distance ourselves from others.

Tajfel's study in which teen boys selected Kleen or Kandinsky art and then offered a reward which could favour their group and the rival group demonstrated that the boys would choose to disadvantage the rival group each time even if it meant disadvantaging their own 'ingroup'

Core Identity
The central identity proposed by Erikson in his psychosocial theory of identity which gives a sense of self.

Core Identity is not rigidly fixed, Erickson proposed eight stages of development, throughout which, normative crisis occur which may modify our core identity

Embodiment
The idea that our body is important in our sense of identity having effects on every aspect of our lives as we live through it.

The importance of this is seen paticularly in relation to disability. The Social Model of Disability suggests that the experience of people with a disability is a result of limitations by other people and the environment (access to buildings effects identity when needs are not met)

Social Constructionism
This theory has no paticular theorist and suggests our understanding of the social world is constructed through our social interactions and language.

Social Constructionism is qualitative by nature, it analyses discourse (research data - spoken word/written accounts) with a focus on human psychology concerned with the individual.