Is Ethnocentrism And Social Identity Are The Crux Of...

Unit 9 Written Assignment Ethnocentrism and social identity are the crux of intergroup conflict and divisiveness on a global scale. The theory of ethnocentrism is founded on the presumptions put forth by Sumner (1906), in Folkways, a sociological treatise on†¦ the. Sumner (1906) remarked, â€Å"[e]thnocentrism is the technical name for this view of things in which one’s own group is the center of everything, and all others are scaled and rated with reference to it† (as cited in Segall et al., 1990, p. 316). Moreover, ethnocentrism theory declares that a ubiquitous behavioral trend whereby favorable associations with an in-group is bolstered by opposing perceptions and actions toward an outgroup (Segall et al., 1990, p. 316). Affect between groups, intergroup perception, the reciprocity of intergroup affect and perceptions of the in-group itself epitomize the primary undercurrents propelling the dynamic syndrome of ethnocentrism, according to Sumner (1906, as cited in Segall et al., 1990). While the parameters and construct of an in-group may vary between and across cultures, most people associate and interact positively with fairly small cliques within the context of their own social or cultural groups. Cultural identity for example is the latch that fastens an individual to a specific group. Furthermore, social and cultural groups play a key role in defining and promoting human behaviors. Ones’ social identity codifies the sense of self which is determined by their group