Reaction Paper ?
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Reaction Paper
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Social identity: Does my group define who I am?
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Stressing the Group: Social Identity and the Unfolding Dynamics of Responses to Stress
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Adamos Papantoniou
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Erasmus Student S0363792
While I was reading the article Stressing the Group; Social Identity and the Unfolding Dynamics of Responses to Stress (Haslam & Reicher) and based on Hypothesis 1 and 2 referred in the article, I was led to an interesting perspective. Based on the hypothesis, we would expect that resistance would increase the low-status group sense of shared group identity and also willingness to challenge the high-status group power. That could create a shield against stressors! Simultaneously, it would “shake” the high-status group sense of shared group identity, causing stress and uncertainty amongst its members. Behind this hypothesis the reason that often powerless groups win battles against powerful states may be located. Now, imagine a war between two states: A powerful state with numerical, strategic and economic advantage, against a weak and helpless state. It is an unequal battle, which would be particularly interesting, if after strong resistance from the side of the powerless state, we measured the extent to which the two states were exposed to stressors. We would reasonably expect that as weak state members’ sense of shared identity increased, they would provide each other with more social support and would
Reaction Paper
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Social identity: Does my group define who I am?
-------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
Stressing the Group: Social Identity and the Unfolding Dynamics of Responses to Stress
-------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------
Adamos Papantoniou
-------------------------------------------------
Erasmus Student S0363792
While I was reading the article Stressing the Group; Social Identity and the Unfolding Dynamics of Responses to Stress (Haslam & Reicher) and based on Hypothesis 1 and 2 referred in the article, I was led to an interesting perspective. Based on the hypothesis, we would expect that resistance would increase the low-status group sense of shared group identity and also willingness to challenge the high-status group power. That could create a shield against stressors! Simultaneously, it would “shake” the high-status group sense of shared group identity, causing stress and uncertainty amongst its members. Behind this hypothesis the reason that often powerless groups win battles against powerful states may be located. Now, imagine a war between two states: A powerful state with numerical, strategic and economic advantage, against a weak and helpless state. It is an unequal battle, which would be particularly interesting, if after strong resistance from the side of the powerless state, we measured the extent to which the two states were exposed to stressors. We would reasonably expect that as weak state members’ sense of shared identity increased, they would provide each other with more social support and would
References: 1) Haslam, S. A., & Reicher, S. (2006). Stressing the group: Social identity and the unfolding dynamics of responses to stress. Journal of Applied Psychology, 91, 1037–1052. 2) Centre of Research and Documentation of E.O.K.A’s Struggle http://myweb.cytanet.com.cy/iaae5559/fight.htm