Identity needs for uniqueness and belonging balance at one optimal point

Evidence

Although the categorization process may place the person at either extreme end of the continuum from social identity to personal identity, Brewer’s (1991) Theory of Optimal Distinctiveness suggests that there is an intermediate point along this continuum that optimally satisfies a person’s needs for identity. At this point, an individual’s need to be different from others (i.e., to be unique) and need to belong (i.e., to share a sense of similarity to others) are balanced. Optimally, perceiving one’s group as especially positive and distinctive relative to other groups satisfies both needs for belonging and distinctiveness simultaneously. Unfortunately, one consequence of this process can be intergroup bias. — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 549

Categorization

• DEFINE: Introduces Optimal Distinctiveness Theory and its central claim that the need to belong and need to be unique are balanced at an intermediate point on the identity continuum.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice: Fifty Years…, 549
• XREF: connects to: Mixed individuals strategically select contextual identity to jointly satisfy affiliation and uniqueness. — Anna X. Huang, Jacqueline M. Chen, and Juliane Degner, Being One or the Other, Both or…, 92