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Collapsing Self/Other positions: Identification through differentiation.
- Source :
-
British Journal of Social Psychology . Sep2007, Vol. 46 Issue 3, p579-595. 17p. - Publication Year :
- 2007
-
Abstract
- There is a widely recognized tendency for people to positively differentiate Self from Other. The present paper asks: What counter dynamic constrains this othering tendency? A phenomenon, termed identification through differentiation is presented in which the positive differentiation of Self from Other collapses in a moment of identification. This phenomenon is demonstrated and explored using quasi-naturalistic group discussions with tourists in India. Three excerpts are analysed. The first demonstrates a tourist's attempt to positively differentiate him from other tourists. The second demonstrates how such an effort can collapse in a moment of identification with the previously derogated ‘other’ tourists. The third is used to explore how issues of self-presentation complicate identification through differentiation. The discussion uses concepts from Mead (1934) and Ichheiser (1949) in order to theorize about the preconditions, interactional mechanisms and wider applicability of the phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 01446665
- Volume :
- 46
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- British Journal of Social Psychology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 27014793
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1348/014466606X155439