Self-Categorization Theory
Updated 2026-08-08
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
Developed by John Turner in the 1980s as an extension of social identity theory. The theory holds that people categorize themselves at different levels, from personal identity through relational and group identities, and that the salient category in a situation determines how they perceive and act. When a group identity becomes salient, people act in terms of the group prototype rather than personal traits, a process called depersonalization. Categorization is dynamic and context-dependent.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Read the situation: identify which social category is currently salient for the people involved - Shift the level: make a superordinate category salient to reduce cross-group conflict - Manage norms: shape the group prototype, since people conform to it once group identity is active
Anchor fast decisions
Categorization makes some similarities and differences more available than others, and the salient category becomes the lens for judgment. When a group category is active, personal attributes recede and the group prototype becomes the standard, which produces conformity to group norms and willingness to act for the collective rather than the individual self.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-categorization_theoryverified
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