Introduction
Formation of one’s sense of self is an individual and a societal process. The cognitive maturation that occurs throughout adolescence is widely believed to be the time when a person’s sense of self is shaped by their experiences with various identities and the role models they see. Many theories have been suggested to explain the identity formation process including social identity theory and social learning theory. The real-world application used to explain SLT is its use by social workers to promote positive behavior change. Conversely, the example used to illustrate SIT is typical parenting contexts often involving parents instructing children not to interact with bad kids.
Social Identity Theory
Social identity refers to the aspect of the self that is shaped through group affiliations. The circumstances in which one’s social identity takes precedence over their identity are described by the social identity theory. The theory was developed by Henri Tajfel and John Turner in the 1970 following studies based on the “minimum group paradigm” (Tajfel et al., 1971). These experiments inspired further studies and the development of the SIT model. The theory explains how people’s feelings about their own identities affect their attitudes toward other people’s identities and their collective reactions to changes in the social standing of different groups (Tajfel & Turner, 1986). Self-categorization and social comparison, both crucial steps in creating social identities, have distinct outcomes (Abrams & Hogg, 1988). Self-categorization leads to a heightened awareness of one’s similarities to members of one’s own in-group and distinctions from members of one’s out-group.
Historical and Contemporary Developments of SIT
Since its formulation, SIT has been improved by many researchers. Self-categorization describes how people concentrate on certain group affiliations in particular settings. It illustrates why, for example, some individuals may be concerned with preserving a positive gender identity in a certain setting, while others are concerned with the standing of their religious affiliation (Turner et al., 1987). Both the ethnolinguistic identity theory and communication accommodation theory have shed light on the linguistic expressions of social identity mechanisms (Giles & Johnson, 1987; Giles, 2016). The notion of ethnolinguistic vibrancy offers a paradigm for comprehending various groups’ relative positions and power in any particular circumstance (Harwood et al., 1994). These concepts are still used by researchers when investigating the essence of human behavior.
SIT Strengths, Limitations, and Sociocultural Differences
Regarding strengths, SIT fosters positive self-esteem in people when there is a definite “we” and “them” mentality inside the community. However, this mentality has been associated with in-group prejudice (Giles, 2016). To help individuals, SIT does not need a committed or formal membership. For instance, most individuals would sense an affiliation or kinship with a stranger they meet when traveling abroad if they are from the same country of origin merely because they are both associated with that group, but the other persons around them are not.
Concerning limitations, the theory does not account for sociocultural differences in specific scenarios. The tendency to form stronger bonds with members of one’s group provides a serious challenge to multicultural teams. Imaginary faultlines may form when people group themselves into categories based on shared characteristics (Antino et al., 2019). When a division is deep, fault lines are accompanied by a preference for one’s subgroup members (Baker et al., 2018). Due to the increased visibility of out-groups and chances for faultlines, diversity is likely to highlight disparities.
Additionally, how numerous identities interact is a crucial unanswered issue. There are several situations as a consequence of the rise in social connections and the possibility of overlap between people. For example, interracial relationships have become more common in recent decades (Cbsnews, 2021). Furthermore, technology allows people to learn about and engage with cultures outside their own. They examine the degree to which different identities intersect rather than focusing on a single concept of social identity. Similarly, culture can be situational, implying that people’s identities are influenced by their surroundings.
Application of SIT in Real World Settings
Social identity theory can be used to model children’s behaviors. It supports the claim that human behaviors are impacted by the people with whom they interact, as seen by parents (Giles, 2016). Indeed, this explains efforts by parents to educate their children not to associate with problematic children. For instance, if one is surrounded by individuals who constantly disregard their obligations, the behaviors of those around them may resemble that of their group (Chow & Crawford, 2004). However, such applications seem ethically inappropriate as they may lead children to develop discriminatory behaviors.
Social Learning Theory (SLT)
According to the social learning concept, people learn social conduct by seeing and copying the actions of others. Psychologist Albert Bandura conceptualized the theory as an option to the previous work of his colleague B.F. Skinner is famous for having influenced behaviorism (Albert, 2017). In contrast to behavioral psychology, which concentrates on how the surroundings and rewards influence behavior, Bandura argued that people might pick up behavioral skills via observation (Albert, 2017). The observer will also look at subsequent incentives and punishments in conjunction with the act itself. People are more inclined to emulate a behavior if they believe the benefits outweigh the risks. Nevertheless, if the observer does not place sufficient value on the vicarious reinforcement, they will not emulate it.
Historical and Contemporary Developments of SLT
Albert Bandura performed many experiments between 1961 and 1963 to explore whether human behaviors such as violence might be acquired via observation and imitation. The study in which children saw a figure punch an inflated doll seems to confirm the notion that youngsters imitate the actions of others (Hollis, 2019). The combined name for these studies was the Bobo doll experiments. Bandura conceived the concept of social learning in 1977, based on his results from the Bobo doll studies. The theory eventually developed into the social cognitive theory in 1986, which holds that learning occurs in a social context with an ongoing interaction among the learner, their environment, and their behavior (Jacqueline, 2017). These theories have significantly influenced how modern researchers understand behavior.
SLT Strengths, Limitations, and Sociocultural Differences
Social learning theory’s adaptability to explain variations in behavior or learning is one of its main strengths. For example, if a person’s environment changes, that person’s behavior may also change (Jacqueline, 2017). The fact that the social learning theory is flexible enough to accommodate various learning styles is another one of its strengths. Learning may take place in several different ways. The theory fails when it does not emphasize the significance of personal responsibility for one’s actions (Hollis, 2019). The idea claims that one’s attitude and behaviors are dictated by society rather than by how well they manage or digest information and hence place more emphasis on the environment. Additionally, the social learning hypothesis disregards typical ages at which children achieve specific skills. While it is true that kids do not all reach their developmental milestones simultaneously, some still may (Babakr et al., 2019). Furthermore, the theory does not fully explain every behavior, especially when there is no clear example for the observer to follow.
SLT acknowledges that not all students learn in the same manner. In light of these considerations, sociocultural learning may lead to many pathways for personal growth. As a result, this is related to Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, which states that a child’s intellect develops and changes through time (Babakr et al., 2019). It stresses the importance of a learner’s social setting in shaping cognitive growth. Additionally, it depends on how actively one engages in culturally structured activities. Participating in social activities and reflecting on these experiences allows students to gain insight and develop skills that will aid them in navigating the world.
Application of SLT in Real World Settings
The concepts of SLT are widely applied in education and social work. Essentially, social media provides an excellent opportunity for teachers to implement SLT concepts on how people learn and change in the real world to work in the classroom (Deaton, 2015). Similarly, social workers use SLT as an intervention modality to encourage desirable new behaviors by modifying the reward (either positive or negative) linked to the problem’s origin (Greene, 2017). Social workers can sometimes remove children from the care of irresponsible parents. Still, from an ethical standpoint, this is wrong because there is no guarantee that such children will be safe in their new environment.
Conclusion
The development of identity is a personal experience and endeavor; however, the social learning theory asserts that social contact is essential for learning. It is hardly unexpected considering that most of the information and abilities individuals presently have were acquired with the assistance of a support network until they were perfected. Conversely, social identity theory posits that individuals form identity through group affiliations. The circumstances in which one’s social identity takes precedence over their identity are described by the social identity theory. Although both theories take different approaches, they provide crucial insights into how humans develop identity.
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