Relationships

Social relationships are only becoming more prominent as technology continues to grow to allow these relationships to flourish.  Technology now allows us to communicate face to face on our cell phones and we can comment on pictures of friends we knew in middle school.  Relationships are no longer confounded by people we have actually met.  We create relationships with characters on scripted television shows and reality show characters.  We can watch them live on television or online.  We can even engage in discussion about these people on blogs.  These types of relationships are called parasocial relationships.  An example of this type of relationship was apparent when actors Jennifer Anniston and Brad Pitt divorced.  A variety of people choose either Team Anniston or Team Jolie.  Viewers do not have a direct relationship with these individuals but maintained strong attitudes towards the divorce. 

This relationship is an example of social identity.  Social identity is built upon the groups an individual admires and identifies with.  According to Severin and Tankard (2001) social identity does not operate all the time but rather is enacted in certain situations.  Peer pressure and social norms can force us to create opinions which in turn develop our social identity through the diffusion of innovation. If an idea gains acceptance by the majority then an individual feels compelled to create an opinion to avoid conflict.  This identity creation may not accurately reflect the individual.

Communication theories: Origins, methods, and uses in mass media. 5^th edition, by Werner Severin and James Tandard. (2001).

Social Identities

During my research for another project, I came across this article.  The article explores how in and out groups react to national scandals.  The scandal occurred after Jamaican born, Canadian sprinter, Ben Johnson.  Johnson was quoted as “the man from Canada broke an Olympic record” in a Vancouver newspaper. After he won the gold medal in the 1988 Olympics, it was discovered that he had been under the influence of steroids and was forced to return his medal.  The following day after the qualification the Canadian press stated that “the Jamaican-born speedster voluntarily surrendered his medal.” These quotes demonstrate that an individual is considered a “champ” when positively representing others and a “chump” when negatively representing others. 

Research shows that individuals strive to maintain positive self-images.  People try to improve their image by motivated association or dissociation with others.  Because individuals hold multiple social identities that play a dynamic role in our everyday interactions with the social world, people are able to highlight one identity over another to maintain a positive self-image.  The identities that are selected most often are going to be the most developed and will become harder to dismiss.  In the example of Ben Johnson, Canadian residents may not have had a strong developed identity with him which allowed fans to easily change their opinion.  This identity development follows a similar trajectory as Zaller in The Nature and Origins of Mass Opinion.  The more information , education, and emotional attachment an individual holds toward one social identity the more resistant he/she will be towards dismissing that particular identity.  

Cited: Stelzl, M., Janes, L., & Seligman, C. (2008). Champ or chump: Strategic utilization of dual social identities of others.   European Journal of Social Psychology.  38, 128-138.