Optimal Distinctiveness and Social Identity

最优独特性理论为社会群体成员在建立和维持个体自我同一性中的作用提供了一个视角。最优独特性模型是自我分类理论的融合，它认为个体选择或采用社会身份是为了满足分化和同化的对立社会需要。在某种程度上，群体认同将是令人满意的，因为它同时提供了一种独特性和融入社会集体的感觉。因此，该理论暗示，个体会在相对排他性而非包容性的群体中寻求成员身份，并且会对群体内独特性的威胁做出消极反应。先前对最优独特性理论的研究表明，去人格化（过度包容群体中的分类）增强了对更独特群体的认同，而与群体成员的身份无关。目前的研究将通过一系列的实验室和实地实验来进一步验证最优独特性理论的含义，包括：(1)群体认同对过度个性化（个体独特性）的反应；(2)社会认同对群体内与群体间社会比较反应的影响；(3)群体独特性对群体成员间感知分化的影响；(4)群体独特性威胁对自我呈现和群体承诺的影响。

ABSTRACT Optimal distinctiveness theory provides a perspective on the role of social group membership in establishing and maintaining individual self identity. As an amalgamation of self - categorization theory, the optimal distinctiveness model assumes that social identities are selected or adopted by individuals in order to satify opposing social needs for differentiation and assimilation. Group identification will be satisfying to the extent that it provides simultaneously for a sense of distinctiveness and for inclusion in a social collective. Thus, the theory implies that individuals will seek membership in groups that are relatively exclusive rather than inclusive, and will react negatively to threats to ingroup distinctiveness. Prior research on optimal distinctiveness theory has established that depersonalization (categorization in overly inclusive groups) enhances identification with more distinctive groups, independent of the status associated with group membership. The current research, a series of laboratory and field experiments, will test further implications of optimal distinctiveness theory, including (1) group identification in response to excessive personalization (individual uniqueness), (2) effects of social identification on response to intragroup versus intergroup social comparison, (3) effects of group distinctiveness on perceived differentiation among group members, and (4) effects of threat to group distinctiveness on self-presentation and commitment to ingroups.