Social Identity

Social identity refers to a person's internalized sense of shared group membership and an associated sense that they are part of an “us” that is bigger than “me” alone. This construct is central to two influential theories that explore the implications of group-based self-definition for social behavior and that together comprise the social identity approach: social identity theory and self-categorization theory. In this entry, we set out the core tenets of the social identity approach and explain why these are important for a range of issues that are central to health psychology. In particular, we discuss how social identity underpins four key health-related resources: (a) social connection, (b) effective social support, (c) meaning and worth, and (d) control, efficacy, and power.