Nested categories fully converge when one is a subset of another

Evidence

Moreover, one might assume that categories do not ever fully converge, unless, of course, they are nested entirely within a superordinate category. For example, even though most midwives are female, there are some males in this profession also. Yet since, for example, all Sunnis are Muslim, these particular social categories overlap completely, that is, they fully converge. These latter, fully convergent categories reflect, to some extent, the hierarchical nature of some social categories, whereby categories may be perceived as subordinate categories nested within a superordinate, common in-group. Such completely overlapping categories are considered (among others that do not fully overlap but are hierarchically ordered nonetheless) in the common in-group identity model (Gaertner, Dovidio, Anastasio, Bachman, & Rust, 1993) or the dual identity model (see Gaertner & Dovidio, 2000). — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 522

Categorization

• DEFINE: Distinguishes fully convergent/nested categories, which the common in-group identity model handles, from partial overlap, which social identity complexity addresses.
• XREF: Connects to the common in-group identity and dual identity models (Gaertner & Dovidio), placing this chapter in the broader social identity literature.