Wiki Page, Multicultural Diversity in the Workplace for the Tourism Professional: 6.1 Topic 1 Social Identity Diversity and Leadership in the workforce

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2021-02-14T17:34:06+08:00

Definition and Importance of Social identity

Social Identity Theory

Social Identity Stages

Social Identity Theory of Leadership

Definition and Importance of Social Identity

Social identity bias could hamper the leader–follower relationship as a person performs his role as leader. In a diverse workplace, a leader must disregard gender, race, religion and other socially constructed images that is different from his as a status of difference.

As defined, social identity is a person's sense of who they are based on their group membership(s). It relates to how we identify ourselves in relation to others according to what we have in common. For example, we can identify ourselves according to religion or where we're from such as Asian American, Filipinos, or Batanguenos. Sometimes, with our political affiliation like Democrat, Environmentalist, Pros or Antis. There are instances wherein we attached ourselves too much with our vocation like if we are a writer, or an artist, or a teacher.

However, some identities are stigmatized and many social identities can be multiple. Some social identities that are stigmatized are person with AIDS, homeless person, drug dependent or alcoholic. Whereas example of multiple identities is a Filipino Batangueno mother who works as a teacher. Thus, the different roles a person plays can help him realize his overall identity.

Social identification is important because it influences how people see themselves and how they interact with others. It can provide people with a sense of self-esteem and a framework for socializing, and it can influence their behavior. If people have a positive view of their identity within a group, they are more likely to relate well to others in that group and feel positive emotions about themselves. In addition to how your view yourself, social identity also influences how other people treat you.

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Social Identity Theory

Every person belonged to a group. The groups such as social class, family, community and others which a person is part of is an important source of the person’s pride and self-esteem. Groups give us a sense of social identity: a sense of belonging to the social world. This is being proposed by Henri Tajfel, a Polish social psychologist in the Social Identity Theory.

In social psychology, social identity theory is the study of the interplay between personal and social identities. This theory aims to identify and calculate the conditions under which individuals consider themselves as individuals or as group members. The theory also studies the consequences of personal and social identities for individual perceptions and group behavior.

Moreover, the theory also proposed that stereotyping or putting people into groups and categories is based on a normal cognitive process. It is but natural and human to have the tendency of grouping things together. However, stereotyping tend to exaggerate the differences between groups and the similarities of things in the same group. This is when social cognition occurs. Social recognition is recalling a stereotype, bias, or unfavorable opinion about a social group and activating that perception during social or work-related encounters. Based through a process of social categorization, we divided the world into “them” and “us”.

The fundamental assumption of social identity theory is that members of a group will look for negative aspects of the other group. This will give the person a feeling of superiority thus enhancing their self-image. Prejudiced views between cultures may result in racism or racial discrimination. Discriminatory opinions on how a person looked may lead to physical discrimination.

Social Identity Theory Stages

The theory suggests that there are three mental processes involved in evaluating others as “us” or “them.

Categorization is the first stage. In order to understand and identify objects, we categorize them. This I basically the same process being done to people. People tends to categorize people they are meeting and interacting with for them to understand the social environment they are part of. Social categories such as black, white, Asians, Westerns, Christians, Jews, students, and others because they will be useful in understanding them.

Likewise, a person can find out things about himself by knowing what categories he or she belongs. Appropriate behavior can be identified in reference to the norms of groups an individual is part of. But this can be done if the members of the group are also identified.

Adopting the identity of the group that the person identifies himself is social identification which is the second stage. For example, a person who have categorized himself as a father, the probabilities are he will adopt the identity and begin to act in the ways he believes a father acts and behaves. This is in conformity to the norms of the group he is part of.

Identification with a group will give emotional significance to the person and his / her self-esteem will be assured with group membership.

Social comparison is the final stage. The person tends to compare his group with other group after categorizing and identifying himself with his group. His group needs to be compared favorably with other groups for his self-esteem to be maintained.

This is critical to understanding prejudice, because once two groups identify themselves as rivals, they are forced to compete in order for the members to maintain their self-esteem. Competing identities may lead to rivalry and hostility between groups.

Social Identity Theory of Leadership

With a diverse workplace, employees most importantly the leaders must identify themselves with the groups and organizations they work for. This would have positive implications for everyone’s work-related attitudes and behaviors.

This is the premise of the Social Identity Theory of Leadership. This type of leadership proposes that leadership arises out of, and is exercised through, social relationships since in social identity theory leadership is viewed as a group process generated by social categorization.

Thus leaders are not imposed on those they lead. They embody and influence the relationships of which they form a part and the shared identities, norms and beliefs that underpin the relationships. Leader’s role is about shaping social identities. Therefore, his decisions and actions are seen as the concrete manifestation of group beliefs and values. In this type of leadership, what followers think of the leader matters. They must work to understand and meet the needs of the followers.

Social identity theory proposes that the leader’s role is related to the group they lead:

Being one of us – enacting ‘us’

Doing it for us – acting and modeling fairness and group interest

Crafting a sense of us – being entrepreneurs of identity

Making us matter – identity management, purpose and power in the wider context

Another leadership model founded on Social Identity theory is the Leader-Identity-Transfer Model. This model proposes that leaders’ identification can spill over to their followers. The leaders who identify strongly with their teams or organizations will act as role models for their followers. As models, the leaders will act more on behalf of the organization’s interests rather than out of self-interest. They will seek to make their organization a “good” organization by developing and communicating a positive vision. Ideally, they will be more concerned about their followers’ well-being as they are perceived as group members.

Finally, another ideal leadership model is the Social Identity Model of Leadership (SIMOL). This states that leadership does not operate within a vacuum but that leaders are also always members of the teams or organizations which they lead.

In conclusion, social identity can be defined as an individual’s knowledge of belonging to certain social groups, together with some emotional and valuation significance of that group membership. Thus, while one’s personal identity refers to self-knowledge associated with unique individual attributes, people’s social identity indicates who they are in terms of the groups to which they belong. It will always be ideal if the leaders identify themselves with the group they are leading because they will be carrying out decisions that will carry out the group’s welfare and advantage.