Social Identity and Social Cognition

In recent years there has been a rapprochement between the traditionally opposing theories of North American social cognition and European social identity theory. This book represents a milestone in the progress of research in group processes and intergroup relations as the editors examine what the theories have to offer to each other and the future of social psychology. The contributors, who are strongly identified with one of the two traditions, consider explicitly how that field's work relates to their opposing tradition, for example a social cognition researcher considers how their research relates to a social identity approach. This book builds on the strengths of both social cognition and social identity approaches to ask new questions and provide new answers. The same underlying problem faces social psychology as a whole - how to understand the relationship between mental or psychological processes and social processes - however there is now a recognition that tackling the problem requires a theoretical framework that encompasses both approaches. That framework emerges through the chapters of this book and shows the way forward for the social psychology of group processes and intergroup relations.

Table of Contents:
1. Social Identity and Social Cognition: Historical Background and Current Trends: Michael Hogg and Dominic Abrams. 2. Integrating Social Identity and Social Cognition: A Framework for Bridging Diverse Perspectives: Don Operario and Susan T. Fiske. 3. Social Categorization and Social Context: Is Stereotype Change a Matter of Information or of Meaning? Penelope J. Oakes, S. Alexander Haslam and Katherine J. Reynolds. 4. Perceived Entitativity and the Social Identity Value of Group Memberships: Steven J. Sherman and David L. Hamilton. 5. Perceiving and Responding to Multiply Categorizable Individuals: Cognitive Processes and Affective Intergroup Bias: Theresa K. Vescio, Miles Hewstone, Richard J. Crisp and J. Mark Rubin. 6. Exploring Automatic Stereotype Activation: A Challenge to the Inevitability of Prejudice: Lorella Lepore and Rupert Brown. 7. Stereotyping, Processing Goals, and Social Identity: Inveterate and Fugacious Characteristics of Stereotypes: Vance Locke and Iain Walker. 8. Affective and Cognitive Implications of a Group Becoming Part of the Self: New Models of Prejudice and of the Self-Concept: Eliot R. Smith. 9. Social Identity, Social Cognition and the Self: The Flexibility and Stability of Self-Categorization: Dominic Abrams. 10. Implicit Self-Esteem: Shelly D. Farnham and Anthony G. Greenwald. 11. Joining Groups to Reduce Uncertainty: Subjective Uncertainty Reduction and Group Identification: Michael A. Hogg and Barbara A. Mullin. 12. Group Membership, Social Identity, and Attitudes: Deborah J. Terry, Michael A. Hogg, and Julie M. Duck. 13. Social Identity and Persuasion: Reconsidering the Role of Group Membership: Dean van Knippenberg. 14. Majority and Minority Influence: The Interactions of Social Identity and Social Cognition Mediators: Diane M. Mackie and Sarah B. Hunter. Index.

About the Author :
Dominic Abrams is Professor of Social Psychology and Director of the Centre for the Study of Group Processes at the University of Kent at Canterbury. Michael A. Hogg is Professor in Social Psychology and Director of the Centre for the Study of Group Processes at the University of Queensland. Both editors have published widely in the area of group processes and social identity.

Review :
""Social Identity and Social Cognition" demonstrates compellingly how cross-communication between different theoretical perspectives can inform and enrich social psychological theory. Each of the contributing authors to this volume has taken seriously their task of integrating insights from the social identity and social cognition traditions, with the result that each chapter contributes something new to both literatures." "Professor Marilynn B. Brewer, Ohio State University" "Social Identity and Social Cognition demonstrates compellingly how cross-communication between different theoretical perspectives can inform and enrich social psychological theory. Each of the contributing authors to this volume has taken seriously their task of integrating insights from the social identity and social cognition traditions, with the result that each chapter contributes something new to both literatures." Professor Marilynn B. Brewer, Ohio State University