ABSTRACT
Social identity theory sees social identity as an essential part of the self-concept. It is shared by members of that group or, more commonly, another group members. The stereotype (racial, national, etc.) may be applied to the individual. Since stereotypes are generally value laden, the result is prejudice and discrimination. The origins of stereotypes are not well understood, but their operation and perpetuation have been described within the loose theoretical framework of schema theory. One factor that maintains stereotypes is illusory correlation. In the social, as in the physical, world, events occur in conjunction or in sequence. Social representation theory, deriving largely from the work of Serge Moscovici, holds that people within a group or society are able to understand one another and to communicate effectively because they share a common world view; a social representation of reality. Two key processes such as Anchoring and Objectification take place in using social representations to understand new or unfamiliar objects, events, or ideas.
