Revisiting Social Identity Theory from a Neuroscience Perspective

Abstract

Social Identity Theory (SIT) is one of the most influential perspectives on intergroup relations. We discuss how different neuroscientific models and methods (EEG, fMRI, cardiovascular measures) can illuminate insights into four core social identity constructs and processes: Social categorization, self-group overlap, ingroup bias, and coping with threat. We describe neuroscientific research that provides converging evidence for SIT. More specifically, we propose that social neuroscience provides more direct measures for core SIT-constructs (e.g., categorization, threat) that are difficult to measure with self-report measures, and refines SIT by identifying more subtle forms of ingroup bias in “upstream” neural processing, and by testing more dynamic relationships between SIT constructs (e.g., considering categorization as a dependent variable, or examining social identity “challenge”, in addition to threat).