Social Identity and Social Cognition

In recent years there has been a rapprochement between the traditionally opposing theories of North American social cognition and European social identity theory. This book represents a milestone in the progress of research in group processes and intergroup relations as the editors examine what the theories have to offer to each other and the future of social psychology. The contributors, who are strongly identified with one of the two traditions, consider explicitly how that field's work relates to their opposing tradition, for example a social cognition researcher considers how their research relates to a social identity approach.This book builds on the strengths of both social cognition and social identity approaches to ask new questions and provide new answers. The same underlying problem faces social psychology as a whole - how to understand the relationship between mental or psychological processes and social processes - however there is now a recognition that tackling the problem requires a theoretical framework that encompasses both approaches. That framework emerges through the chapters of this book and shows the way forward for the social psychology of group processes and intergroup relations.

Dominic Abrams is Professor of Social Psychology and Director of the Centre for the Study of Group Processes at the University of Kent at Canterbury.

Michael A. Hogg is Professor in Social Psychology and Director of the Centre for the Study of Group Processes at the University of Queensland.

Both editors have published widely in the area of group processes and social identity.