Anti-Semitism emerged from group-identity processes and hardened into shared social representations.

Evidence

Beliefs, attitudes, and the behaviors they engender arise out of and help to shape the social environment. German anti-Semitism arose not purely from Christianity but rather as part of a social-psychological process concerning the role of group identity in the definition of the self. These processes then gave rise to social influence processes that allowed German nationalism and anti- Semitism to become social representations in Germany—shared cognitions that form the basis of social reality. — Leonard S. Newman and Ralph Erber (eds.), Understanding Genocide, 956

Categorization

• DEFINE: Operationalizes ‘social representations’ as shared cognitions forming the basis of social reality.
• XREF: Maps onto social identity theory’s premise that group membership organizes self-definition, the mechanism the reader wants bridged to powerful-minority scapegoating. — connects to: Weak identity and uncertainty make anti-Semitic ideas easy to adopt and spread — Leonard S. Newman and Ralph Erber (eds.), Understanding Genocide: The Social…, 947; Shared social identity both causes group behaviour and is caused by it.; Nazi antisemitism derived from existing German social representations (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Shared social identity both causes group behaviour and is caused by it. #expands (0.85)
• Nazi antisemitism derived from existing German social representations #exemplifies (0.85)