Henry Tajfel

Henry Tajfel was a British psychologist best known for his work on social identity and group behavior. He studied how people categorize themselves into groups, such as nationality or sports teams, and how this influences their attitudes toward others. Tajfel’s research showed that individuals tend to favor their own group (in-group bias) and sometimes discriminate against outsiders (out-group prejudice), even in arbitrary or minimal group settings. His work helps explain phenomena like prejudice, discrimination, and intergroup conflict, emphasizing that social identities play a powerful role in shaping human behavior and perceptions.