Social Identity in the System of Identity

Abstract

The interrelation between social and individual identity is one of the most complex and contradictory conundrums in social science. Most identity theories clearly state that identity has two main components: individual or “self ” identity (which includes role identity) and collective or “we” identity (which includes group identities and social categories). Thoits and Virshup (1997) defined individual identity as a result of identification with a particular type of “person” and social identity as a result of identification with a group or category. Social identity is usually described in terms of group similarities and reflects shared interests, values, and beliefs, while individual identity is defined as a set of individual features and provides a basis for differentiating an individual from other people. These features have a certain constancy, or at least continuity in time and space.