Implications of Individualist Bias in Social Identity Theory for Cross-Cultural Organizational Psychology

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 283-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark F. Peterson ◽  
Steven A. Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Identity Construction ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Organizational Identification ◽  
Cultural Psychology ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Organizational Psychology ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
Categorical Groups

Social Identity Theory ( SIT) as used in cross-cultural organizational psychology (CCOP) shows individualistic biases by envisioning an autonomous person whose culture supports temporary, largely independent, and readily interchangeable relationships with multiple categorical groups, organizations, and other collectives. We seek to reduce these biases in CCOP by drawing from recent social psychological analyses, notably Motivated Identity Construction Theory, that have refined identity theory’s original principles. To make a broad range of organizational applications, we rely heavily on our cross-cultural psychology audience’s familiarity with basic SIT topics and controversies by discussing them quite briefly. We apply such refinements to theories about correlates of organizational identification (OI) measures, interpretive OI theorizing, and an intrapersonal network approach to OI. We conclude by extending these refinements to other constructs linking individuals to organizations: organizational commitment, attachments to organization groups and components, and roles and norms.

Sticks and Stones

2016 ◽  
pp. 101-132
Author(s):  
Robin Maria Valeri ◽  
Kevin Borgeson
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Relative Deprivation ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Terror Management ◽  
Psychological Approach ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
Hate Groups ◽  
New Members ◽  
Psychological Theories

The present chapter takes a social psychological approach to understanding hate groups and how hate groups use hate as a promotional tool and as an implement of aggression. As a promotional tool, hate groups use hate to attract new members to their organizations and to promote their beliefs to the mainstream public. Hate also serves as an incendiary, to fuel the emotions of their members, to incite them into action, and to wield against their targets. In this chapter we will attempt to explain why people hate and how they justify their hatred and resulting actions through a number of social psychological theories including realistic group conflict (Bonacich, 1972; Sherif et al., 1961/1988) relative deprivation (Catalono et al., 1993; Hepworth & West, 1988; Hovland & Sears, 1940), social identity theory (Abrams & Hogg, 1990; Festinger, 1954; Tajfel & Turner, 1986; Thoits & Virshup, 1997) and terror management (Pyszczynski, Solomon, & Greenberg, 1997; 2005; Solomon, Greenberg, & Pyszczynski, 1991; 2004).

The female political leader

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas M. Ponton
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Identity Construction ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Corpus Linguistics ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Political Leader ◽  
Emergent Phenomenon ◽  
Margaret Thatcher ◽  
Local Contexts

This work examines the linguistic construction of gender identity in the discourse of Margaret Thatcher. Identity is defined in the terms of Bucholtz and Hall (2005) as an ‘emergent’ phenomenon, depending on local contexts of interaction. In analysing the contributions by media figures to processes of identity construction recourse is made to the theories of Turner and Oakes (e.g. 1989) in the field of social identity theory. Interviewers’ questions are examined for what they reveal about identity presuppositions. Mrs Thatcher at times plays along with these presuppositions, ignores them, or objects to them. Her answers tell us something about the identity she wishes to construct. The work focuses on Thatcher’s first major political breakthrough; her conquest of the Conservative leadership in 1975. The toolkit for examining identity in discourse proposed by Bucholtz and Hall (2005) is adopted, and Corpus Linguistics and the Appraisal Framework of Martin and White (2005) are used in support of the selected tools.

scholarly journals Themes of Identity: An Auto-Ethnographical Exploration

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peruvemba Jaya
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Identity Construction ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Formation Process ◽  
Postcolonial Theory ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Central Question ◽  
Auto Ethnography

The study is focused on understanding identity construction through combining my own experience with the theoretical underpinnings of postcolonial theory, social identity theory and through the examination of two films. The central question that I am interested in is understanding the identity construction and formation process especially as it relates to individuals who have crossed borders and immigrated or moved to countries other than their home countries. The methodology I am employing is auto-ethnography; I am integrating this by using two films as sites of inquiry. Through this introspective, reflection combined with the theoretical framework of identity I uncover themes of identity. These themes include nation, foreignness, community, and home.

The impact of abusive supervision on service employees’ proactive customer service performance in the hotel industry

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (9) ◽  
pp. 1992-2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yijing Lyu ◽  
Xing Zhou ◽  
Weiwen Li ◽  
Junbao Wan ◽  
Jie Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Customer Service ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Organizational Identification ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Hotel Industry ◽  
Abusive Supervision ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Service Employees

Purpose On the basis of social identity theory, this paper aims to predict and test the influence of abusive supervision on service employees’ proactive customer service performance (PCSP) in the hotel industry. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 198 service employee-coworker dyads from 12 hotels in China. Previously developed and validated measures of abusive supervision, organizational identification, collectivism and PCSP were used and found to be highly reliable in this study. Findings Time-lagged data from 12 hotels in China reveal that abusive supervision negatively influences service employees’ PCSP, through organizational identification. In addition, employees’ collectivistic value orientation also strengthens the negative relationship between abusive supervision and organizational identification. These findings have several theoretical and managerial implications, especially for hospitality context. Practical implications First, the study suggests that hotels should design supervisors’ selection, training and monitoring to reduce mistreatment, which could be highly costly to employees’ identification and hence proactive behaviors. In addition, hotel supervisors are encouraged to learn to regulate their emotions by developing emotional management skills and interpersonal skills. Second, because collectivists are more likely to be affected by abusive supervisors, organizations should pay special attention to them by allocating more supportive resources, providing psychological comfort and expert counseling. Finally, hotels and managers should seek to meet individuals’ basic needs by fostering positive relationships between supervisors and employees, offering favorable treatment and connecting an organization’s goals with employees’ individual values. By doing so, employees’ organizational identification will be enhanced and hence contribute to PCSP. Originality/value First, scarcely any study has focused on negative types of leadership styles and how they affect employees’ PCSP. The authors address the research gap by extending the antecedent scope of PCSP to dark side management and provide empirical evidence about the suppressing effects of abusive supervision on PCSP. Second, the focus on organizational identification provides a new extension for social identity theory in application for incurring employees’ proactive behaviors. Third, this study provides a novel contribution by suggesting that the level of collectivism an employee holds can exacerbate the salience of abusive supervision.

Sticks and Stones

2016 ◽  
pp. 868-899
Author(s):  
Robin Maria Valeri ◽  
Kevin Borgeson
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Relative Deprivation ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Terror Management ◽  
Psychological Approach ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
Hate Groups ◽  
New Members ◽  
Psychological Theories

The present chapter takes a social psychological approach to understanding hate groups and how hate groups use hate as a promotional tool and as an implement of aggression. As a promotional tool, hate groups use hate to attract new members to their organizations and to promote their beliefs to the mainstream public. Hate also serves as an incendiary, to fuel the emotions of their members, to incite them into action, and to wield against their targets. In this chapter we will attempt to explain why people hate and how they justify their hatred and resulting actions through a number of social psychological theories including realistic group conflict (Bonacich, 1972; Sherif et al., 1961/1988) relative deprivation (Catalono et al., 1993; Hepworth & West, 1988; Hovland & Sears, 1940), social identity theory (Abrams & Hogg, 1990; Festinger, 1954; Tajfel & Turner, 1986; Thoits & Virshup, 1997) and terror management (Pyszczynski, Solomon, & Greenberg, 1997; 2005; Solomon, Greenberg, & Pyszczynski, 1991; 2004).

Empowering leadership and employees' work engagement: a social identity theory perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Arshad ◽  
Neelam Qasim ◽  
Omer Farooq ◽  
John Rice
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Work Engagement ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Organizational Identification ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Empowering Leadership ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Moderated Mediation Model

PurposeThis study aims to explore mediational mechanisms and conditions by which empowering leadership leads to positive outcomes at the employee level. Using social identity theory (SIT) as a foundation, the authors present an integrated moderated mediation model to explain the interactive effects of empowering leadership and leaders' prototypicality on employees' work engagement through the mediation of organizational identification (OI).Design/methodology/approachThe research model was tested using multilevel nested data obtained from 634 employees working in 133 departments (teams) in the service sector of Pakistan.FindingsThe results reveal that empowering leadership influences work engagement through the mediation of OI. However, leader prototypicality has emerged as an important moderating condition for these relationships because, at a lower level of leader prototypicality, the positive effect of empowering leadership may diminish.Practical implicationsThe results of this study suggest that organizations should promote empowering leadership to increase their employees' OI and work engagement. Furthermore, it is suggested that leader prototypicality is important along with empowering leadership to inculcate positive behavior among employees.Originality/valueThis is the first study of its nature, which used SIT to explain the indirect effect of empowering leadership on employees' work engagement via OI. Furthermore, the bounding condition of leader prototypicality is also studied for the first time in the context of the indirect relationship between empowering leadership and employees' work engagement via OI. The authors note that the novel unique findings of this study have the potential to open additional further avenues of research in the field of empowering leadership.

The Social Identity of Township Youth: An Extension of Social Identity Theory (Part 1)

1995 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 150-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine M. Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Identity Construction ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Important Group ◽  
Life Challenges ◽  
The Social ◽  
Group Memberships

Social Identity Theory in the Bristol tradition has been criticized for paying too little attention to the way in identity is shaped and constrained by a dynamically changing social context. The article develops an extension of Social Identity Theory which aims to address this criticism. Open-ended, semi-structured interviews were conducted with working-class township residents in the Durban area, 20 women and 20 men, aged between 17 and 23 years. Interviews were analysed by means of a coding frame within which identity construction was conceptualized in terms of a trialogue amongst Life Challenges, Group Memberships and Behavioural Options. Twenty key Life Challenges facing township youth are identified, as are the eleven most important Group Memberships providing youth with raw materials with which to construct their identities.

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