Identity theory and social identity theory

Rachael Green, Malcolm Patterson and Pauline Dibben

Chapter 9 in Theories and Concepts in Work and Employment Relations, 2025, pp 85-91 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Identity involves an individual's explicit or implicit response to the question ‘who am I?’ and involves all the components that they use to form a sense of self, including personality traits, appearance, individual characteristics, affiliations, beliefs, values and social roles. These components include who we are, as well as who we were and who we wish to become. Identity theory examines how individuals perceive and define themselves within social contexts. It posits that people can have multiple identities based on their roles (e.g., student, parent, worker) and social categories (e.g., gender, ethnicity). These identities influence behaviour, attitudes and interactions and understanding identity can help explain motivations, behaviour and social relationships. The concept of ‘identity’ has been used within social psychology as a central part of ‘Identity Theory’ and ‘Social Identity Theory’. In simple terms, Identity Theory considers roles (such as worker or parent), while Social Identity Theory focuses on categories or groups. In terms of categories, individuals might categorise themselves according to gender or disability, and in the work context, a ‘group’ might include an organisation or team within an organisation.

Keywords: Identity; Self-concept; Role-identity; Social categorisation; Identity salience; Intersectionality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
ISBN: 9781035316199
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