Final answer:
Social Identity Theory involves social categorisation, identification, and comparison, key processes that influence individual self-concepts and group dynamics within social contexts.
Step-by-step explanation:
Social Identity Theory, as developed by Henry Tajfel in 1970, provides a framework for understanding how individuals perceive and define themselves within their social contexts. At the core of this theory are three main processes: social categorisation, social identification, and social comparison. Social categorisation refers to how people organize the social environment by grouping individuals into categories. This process helps individuals simplify their social world but can also lead to stereotyping.
Social identification is the process where individuals associate themselves with certain groups, leading to an important part of their self-concept. This can affect their behaviour and attitudes, reinforcing group conformity. Through social comparison, individuals evaluate their own groups against others to maintain or enhance their self-esteem. The comparison can be favourable or unfavourable but is aimed to show the superiority of one’s own group.
These concepts were expanded by Charles Herbert Cooley with his ‘looking-glass self' theory, which posits that individuals’ self-concepts are influenced by their perceptions of how others view them. George Herbert Mead also contributed to the understanding of social selves by highlighting that individuals define themselves through the roles they play in society.