The Role Of Social Identity Complexity In Intragroup Relations

Social identity complexity refers to an individual’s subjective representation of theinterrelationships among his or her multiple group identities. Social identitycomplexity reflects the degree of overlap and similarity perceived to exist betweengroups of which a person is simultaneously a member. The idea behind the socialidentity complexity construct is that it is not only how many social groups anindividual identifies with that matters but, more importantly, how those differentidentities are subjectively combined to determine the overall inclusiveness of theindividual’s ingroup memberships. Roccas&Brewer (2002) identified four differentpatterns that capture the ways any two or more crosscutting group memberships couldbe subjectively combined to define an individual’s resultant ingroup, and they areIntersection, Dominance, Compartmentalization and Merger. Because of theindividual differences in representing multiple identities, social identity complexity isvaries in different representation. Having a complex social identity is dependent ontwo conditions: first, awareness of more than one ingroup categorization, and second,recognition that the multiple ingroup categories do not converge. Social identitycomplexity is made up of two different but associated portions, namely similaritycomplexity and overlapping complexity, and social identity complexity can beoperated in those two respects. Generally, social identity complexity is subject tosituational and motivational determinants as well as individual differences incognitive style. Social identity complexity also has effect on national identity andintergroup attitudes, and has buffer effect, which can help individuals cope with thethreat from outgroups. Moreover, social identity complexity plays an important role inintragroup interactions. Social identity complexity will improve attitude towardsoutgroups, and influence the intragroup attitude and practice, and it can be increasedto improve group relationship.The study is established in collectivism culture settings, with majority universitystudents and minority university students taking part in, and questionnaire survey isused to exam the characteristics of social identity complexity of majority universitystudents and minority university students, intergroup contact and the attitude towardsoutgroups and the interaction among them. Study one with a simple of157majority university students and168minorityuniversity students，the method of self-report and questionnaire survey are adopted toprobe the typical and important identities of majority and minority university students.Results show that (1) the amount of identities of college students in our country is lessthan foreign countries;(2) the typical identities students reported in this study arecollege students, religious identity, ethnic identity, Chinese citizen, political identity(e.g. party groupings or the League), the identity about student organization(e.g.student union), and the identity about hobby groups, etc;(3) the important identities ofminority university students are Chinese citizen, religious identity, ethnic identity andcollege students; the important identities of majority university students are Chinese,college students, the identity about student organization(e.g. student union) andpolitical identity(e.g. party groupings or the League). The results shows that differentidentities have different meaning for majority and minority university students。Study two with a simple of195minority university students, using the method ofquestionnaire survey explores the characteristic and relationship between socialidentity complexity and outgroup attitude. The results shows:(1)those nationalminorities university students have relatively higher level of social identitycomplexity.(2)social identity complexity is positively correlated with the positiveattitudes of the outside group. It testified the abroad studies, which shows that socialexperiences can influence social identity complexity and the society can better thegroup attitudes and facilitate the exchanges between groups.Study three takes261minority college students as subjects and usesquestionnaire investigation to investigate the relationship between intergroup contacts,complexity of social identity and attitudes of the outside group. The result is that (1)the quality and quantity of intergroup contact will affect the complexity of socialidentity;(2) the complexity of social identity is the intermediary variable that theintergroup contact improves the attitudes of the outside group. It shows that thecomplexity of social identity is one of the important psychological mechanisms thatcontacts and affects the attitudes of outside group. At the same time, it is an importantway to improve the relationship among groups. Based on the results and discussion of the above three statistical analysis, thethesis comes to the following conclusions:Firstly, the number of identities of majority university students and minorityuniversity students is fewer, and the structure of them is simple; majority universitystudents and minority university students are all highly identified with the identitiesrelated to NationalitySecondly, the social identity complexity is the results of social recognition,which is affected by the social culture. No matter under the cultural background ofindividualism or collectivism, the social identity complexity will have a positiveeffect on the attitudes of the outgroup.Thirdly, intergroup contact will improve the positivity of the attitudes of outsidegroup, and the social identity complexity is one of the important psychologicalmechanism, which the intergroup contact will affect on the attitudes of outside group.To upgrade the social identity complexity through the intergroup contact, in order togenerate the positive attitudes of outside group. Therefore, to enhance the socialidentity complexity is an effective way of improving the relationship among groupsand reducing the intergroup conflicts.