Special features of the self-concept of minorities' members  Cover Image

Особености на Аз-образа при представители на малцинства
Special features of the self-concept of minorities' members

Author(s): Radostina Antonova
Subject(s): Psychology
Published by: Институт за изследване на населението и човека - Българска академия на науките

Summary/Abstract: The group membership has a perceptual or cognitive ground — the self-perception or the perception of the others is built by abstract social categories that are internalized in the individuals self-concept. Therefore the group membership (the social identity of the individual) is a significant element of the structure of the individual identity. The individual identity has two main components: the self-concept (the individual's perception of himself) and the social identity (built by individual's group memberships). The psychological criterion to define a group as a minority is: "The minorities are entities. Their members realize their own specific social status. According to it they have common features and disadvantages". The membership in a minority is a barrier in achieving the individual life plans. The minority's members have special features of the individual identity. One of these features is that the group (ethnic) membership is a more important element of the individual identity than the self-concept.

  • Issue Year: 04/2001
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 97-102
  • Page Count: 6
  • Language: Bulgarian