Book contents
- Politics and the New Challenge of Migration
- The Progressive Psychology Book Series
- Politics and the New Challenge of Migration
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Acknowledgements
- Chapter 1 In Search of the Promised Land
- Chapter 2 The Social Contract
- Chapter 3 Social Cognition
- Chapter 4 Social Identity
- Chapter 5 The Public Sphere
- Chapter 6 Multiculturalism and Competing Policies
- Chapter 7 The Populist Backlash
- Chapter 8 Democracy
- Chapter 9 Building a Bridge over Babylon
- Chapter 10 Ethics–Politics Morality
- Chapter 11 The Dark Side of Politics
- Appendix
- References
- Index
Chapter 4 - Social Identity
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 December 2025
Book contents
- Politics and the New Challenge of Migration
- The Progressive Psychology Book Series
- Politics and the New Challenge of Migration
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Acknowledgements
- Chapter 1 In Search of the Promised Land
- Chapter 2 The Social Contract
- Chapter 3 Social Cognition
- Chapter 4 Social Identity
- Chapter 5 The Public Sphere
- Chapter 6 Multiculturalism and Competing Policies
- Chapter 7 The Populist Backlash
- Chapter 8 Democracy
- Chapter 9 Building a Bridge over Babylon
- Chapter 10 Ethics–Politics Morality
- Chapter 11 The Dark Side of Politics
- Appendix
- References
- Index
Summary
Chapter 4 extends the discussion of cognition as a human adaptation to its effects on social relations. It looks at social categorisation as a process that enables human beings to identify with similar others and to engage in collaborative relations with them that serve mutual interests. It looks at the origins of social identity theory by reviewing the minimal group experiments, which demonstrate an inclination for discrimination in the human species that favours similar others even in arbitrary conditions. It concludes by considering the implications of these cognitive characteristics on identity politics and their effects on democratic systems.
Information
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Politics and the New Challenge of MigrationBridging Cultural, Social and Political Divides, pp. 39 - 51Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
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