ABSTRACT
Sociological social psychologists who work within the group processes and structures (GPS) face of social psychology are interested in the link between individuals and the larger society, as well as in the consequences of social inequality. GPS researchers' analyses have focused primarily on small groups, often in controlled laboratory settings. There are three distinct theoretical frameworks that have guided research within the GPS tradition: expectation states theory, social exchange theory, and social identity theory. Social identity theorists have used the minimal groups procedure to study the self-categorization process in more controlled settings. Minimal groups are created in the laboratory by giving experimental subjects feedback on a task that results in self-categorization based upon a trivial characteristic, without any face-to-face contact. The chapter reflects some common themes, including an emphasis on identifying the manner in which social inequality at the macro level affects perception and behavior.
