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Explaining Social Change and Identity Management Strategies

New Directions for Future Research

University of Ulster UCP.Niens{at}ulst.ac.uk

Ed Cairns

University of Ulster

For many years, social psychological research has tried to explain the social dynamics of intergroup conflict and individual and group differences in engagement in intergroup conflict. We argue here that, for this work to progress, a broader interpretation is required. Focusing on individual and collective identity management strategies to cope with social change, social identity theory (SIT) is reviewed and limitations of the theory are pointed out. To overcome these weaknesses in SIT, an integration of SIT with relative deprivation theory and the authoritarian personality theory is suggested. The main achievements of such an integration, we believe, would be the inclusion of a broader range of identity management strategies, clarification in relation to predictor variables and the application of identity management strategies for minority as well as majority groups.

Key Words: authoritarian personality theory • identity management strategies • relative deprivation theory • social change • social identity theory

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