ABSTRACT
Group identity or collective identity is usually seen as distinct from individual identity [9]. Brewer & Gardner (1996) claim that personal identities differentiate the self from the others. Collective identity, on the other hand, reflects assimilation to a certain social group. Both personal and collective identities are dependent on interaction with other people, by emphasizing similarities and dissimilarities with other individuals. Seen as a product of interaction, the term identity has been criticized because it indicates a fixed stable state. Due to this some writers prefers to use the term identification rather than identity to underline the transitory characteristic of the phenomena. According to Weick, (1995) changes in interactional patterns or changes between interactional relations implies a shift in definitions of selves. An individual may as a member of an organization hold a portfolio of overlapping identities that are mobilized in different interactional situations.
