Essay - Social Identity Theory ID 40089: Social Identity Theory the Motivations...

Social Identity Theory

***** 40089: Social Identity Theory

The motivations and environmental variables that shape social relationships have always been a core issue in ***** psychology. Thus, there are several theories ***** offer alternative models to the ***** Identity Theory, beg*****ning with the social exchange theory, which posits that the desire ***** exchange resources is central in explaining in-group dynamics. This theory argues that judgments about the value of ***** gained or lost through group membership shape both satisfaction and behavioural choices among groups. Similarly, the realistic group conflict ***** suggests ***** ***** patterns of cooperation ***** competition in groups can be explained through an understanding of the patterns of resource interdependence among ***** (John, Kramer & Tyler, 1999, p. 1). In contrast to these two models, the ***** comparison **********y asserts that it is the comparison ***** one's cond*****ion to a given reference standard, which determines levels of satisfaction and behaviour. ***** fact, this theory has often been used to explain how individual or group reactions to job characteristics can be affected by comparison to co-workers (Pfeffer, 1991).

***** Social Identity ***** appears to have, however, gained ground over competing theories, as evidenced ***** a wide body of recent rese*****rch that uses its structure to understand various aspects of organizational identification and *****. For instance, two recent studies conducted in large, multicultural organizations ***** understand how structural variables and organizational demography influence workplace relationships ***** social identity theory as a structure. Interestingly, ***** studies concluded that gender, racial ***** ethnic social identities influence employees' perceptions of and reaction to their organization's efforts to promote diversity. Chow ***** Crawford (2004) observed that ***** were significant disparities in ***** among gender, racial and ethnic ********** regarding promotions received, commendations deserved, degree of consultation, support from colleagues ***** managers, access to external information, work atmosphere, and attitudes towards work. Similarly, Mor Barak, Cherin ***** Berkman (1998) found that Caucasian men perceived the organization as more fair and inclusive, ***** compared to Caucasian women and mem*****rs of racial and ethnic minority groups. The study also found ***** converse to be true, namely, ***** women ***** members of minority groups saw more value in, and felt more comfortable ***** ***** as ***** to Caucasian men.

***** on these f*****dings, one significant conclusion that was reached by both studies is that existing organizational power ********** still *****ly favour white males. Thus, the dominant group prefer to maintain the status quo, while women and racial and ethnic minorities hold less favourable perceptions ***** the organization's treatment of diversity. This conclusion is also in line with the views of Ashforth and Mael (1989) ***** Smyth (2002) ***** ***** identity has an inherent tendency towards stereotypical rather th***** *****ized responses to members ***** out-groups, leading to a risk of institutionalising ***** differences between groups. This has a major implication for ***** since *****ey may become carriers for the biases of social *****, resulting in actual or perceived discrimination. It is, *****ref*****e, important that organizations learn ***** negotiate conflict