Final answer:
People can lose their identity through degradation ceremonies seen in prisons and military induction, or through dehumanization, which involves equating a group to non-human entities, often fueling hate crimes and discrimination. Stratification within social groups also contributes to identity loss by emphasizing roles over individuality.
Step-by-step explanation:
Individuals can be stripped of their identity through a process known as a degradation ceremony, which can occur when people are resocialized into certain institutions. For example, new prisoners undergo extreme changes where they lose freedoms, rights, and personal belongings, eroding their former identities and preparing them to be resocialized into their roles within the prison system. Similarly, members of the military are required to cut their hair short, discard their civilian clothes, and don matching uniforms, effectively removing personal identity markers to establish a unified military identity.
In society, dehumanization is used to strip identity and humanity from groups of people, which can lead to hate crimes. Incidents of dehumanization can be observed when society views a group as inferior, equating them to animals or vermin, which can be seen in historical examples of genocide and extreme discrimination. Stratification within social groups, such as high school friends or sports teammates, adheres to certain social hierarchies where members are recognized by their status or role rather than as individuals.