Beyond binary group categorization: towards a dynamic view of human groups
Name
Beyond binary group categorization towards a dynamic view of human groups.pdf
Size
1.91 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
7ffddd4633e72b95ee3ada355c67e6ed
Author(s)
Kish Bar-On, Kati
Date Issued
September 1, 2024
Journal
Philosophical Psychology
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Citation
Kish Bar-On, K. (2026). Beyond binary group categorization: towards a dynamic view of human groups. Philosophical Psychology, 39(2), 345–372.
Version
Final published version
Abstract
Society is a composite of interacting people and groups. These groups play a significant role in maintaining social status, establishing group identity and social identity, and enforcing norms. As such, groups are essential for understanding human behavior. Nevertheless, the study of groups in everyday group life yields many diverse and sometimes contradicting theories of group behavior, and researchers tend to agree that we have yet to understand the emergence of groups out of aggregates of individuals. The current paper aims to shed new light on the convoluted interrelation between groups and individuals by focusing on individuals’ social identities and group categorization. It does so by exploring the dynamic nature of the self and its implications on identity and group membership, and introducing a framework recognizing the fluidity of groups and group categorization. Incorporating historical insights with contemporary theories, this paper argues for a flexible understanding of group dynamics that surpasses rigid in-group and out-group classifications, proposing instead that group affiliations exist along a continuum that reflects the ever-changing social landscape.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Program in Science, Technology and Society
Terms of Use
Creative Commons Attribution
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1080/09515089.2024.2398622
