ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines six psychological theories of social change. The first is social identity theory that focuses on collective action taken to address issues of inequality of the powerless. The second theory is social dominance theory, which addresses why individuals support the status quo and system stability. The third theory is systems justification theory that seeks to explain why existing social, political, and economic conditions are often preferred and justified. Next, self-categorization theory is described. SCT addresses when a sociological category becomes a psychological entity. Identity process theory addresses the centrality and salience of identity dimensions, the role of socio-psychological factors in affecting one’s sense of self and the relationship between various levels of human interdependence. Lastly, a brief description of relative deprivation is provided.
