Summary on identity
Topic: Identity
by Kazi, 2018 Cohort
Note: This entry was created in 2018, when the task was to “summarise a key reading”, and so may not represent a good example to model current primer entries on.
What is the first thought that comes to mind when you’re asked what your identity is?[1] Truth is, for most of us, our answers will probably just vary by country. But our identities are so much more than our nationalities! More accurately, identities are labels people use to represent themselves based on demographics, social roles, social groups, preferences and endless other characteristics. Individuals therefore hold numerous identities simultaneously, which fluctuate over time subject to changes in the underlying factors, cognitive load, trends and more (Reed & Bolton, 2005).
In psychology, identities are understood through ingroup/outgroup categorisation. Ingroups constitute of those who share your identity, while everybody else form the outgroup. The theory of social identity complexity looks into the way people conceptualise their multiple identities and structure their ingroup and outgroup. It is important to understand how competing identities interact as it not only effects our self-concept, but also how we views others.
When our identities fully converge, we are said to have a single, simplified identity structure. Imagine a hypothetical scenario where all Mormons live in Utah and all Utah residents are Mormons. What would the ingroup and outgroup look like? There would be no outgroup. A Utah resident would consider all other residents to be ingroup members regardless of the dimension of ingroup-outgroup categorisation- religion or state. If mapped in a Venn-diagram, both circles would overlap
The scenario is much more interesting when identities only partially overlap. Roccas and Brewer specify four ways in which one can construct their identity in that scenario. The figure illustrates the possibilities.
To better understand the diagram, take the example of a bicultural individual. Figure 1a shows the case of an intersection, where one creates a new, blended bicultural identity, viewing those sharing the same ethnicity and host country as ingroup members. A second way of reconciling two cultures involves selecting a dominant identity that characterises the ingroup, while subordinating the other (Fig 1b). Complete assimilation in host nation at the expense of ones ethnic culture exemplifies this behaviour. Both these scenarios depict lower complexity identity structures, which are generally associated with conservative values. As these individuals represent themselves by a single identity, they react with increased ingroup bias and lower tolerance in the face of external threats.
The third mechanism, compartmentalisation (Fig 2c), refers to when individuals are aware of the similarities and differences of both cultures and adopt a context and situation specific identity (i.e. speaking a different language at home). Figure 2d illustrates the final case of a merger, where one includes all other individuals who share at least one important ingroup membership in their ingroup categorisation. Both cases correspond to higher complexity identity structures forming an inclusive social identity. These individuals tend to have more tolerant values compared to their lower complexity counterparts.
While identity is a complex phenomenon, unpacking it has implications far beyond us finding deeper meaning behind everyday questions. Applying identity theory, along with culture theory, can actually be highly beneficial in understanding the perspectives of relevant stakeholders when analysing complex problems. Further, it provides an avenue to gauge the reactions of various segments of society on certain proposed policies, and much more.
Read more at:
- http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1207/S15327957PSPR0602_01
- https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/the-complexity-of-identity/
Disclaimer#
This content has been contributed by a student as part of a learning activity.
If there are inaccuracies, or opportunities for significant improvement on this topic, feedback is welcome on how to improve the resource.
You can improve articles on this topic as a student in "Unravelling Complexity", or by including the amendments in an email to: Chris.Browne@anu.edu.au