Tajfel & Turner (Henri Tajfel & John Turner)

Tajfel and Turner developed Social Identity Theory, which explains how people's self-concepts are shaped by their group memberships. They proposed that individuals derive a sense of pride and identity from the groups they belong to, like teams, nations, or clubs. This can lead to in-group favoritism and out-group bias, as people tend to view their own group positively and may view other groups less favorably. Their work helps us understand phenomena like prejudice, stereotyping, and social cohesion, emphasizing that much of our social behavior is influenced by our desire to belong and be valued within groups.