To be(long) or not to be(long): social identification in organizational contexts

Genet Soc Gen Psychol Monogr. 2005 Aug;131(3):189-218. doi: 10.3200/MONO.131.3.189-218.

Abstract

In the past few years, ideas of Social Identity Theory and Self-Categorization Theory have been successfully applied to the organizational domain. In this article, the authors provide an overview of these recent developments and present a concept of social identification in organizational contexts, based on these theories. The assumptions of this framework are that (a) social identification in organizational contexts is a multifaceted concept consisting of different dimensions and foci (or targets), (b) higher levels of identification are related to higher productivity and more positive work-related attitudes, and (c) identification is a very flexible concept that is linked to the situational context. The authors present the results of a series of field and laboratory studies in which the proposed relationships are analyzed and, in the main, confirmed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Career Choice
  • Humans
  • Job Application
  • Job Satisfaction
  • Organizational Culture*
  • Psychological Theory
  • Research
  • Social Identification*