Social Identity Approaches

The Social Identity Approach explains how a person’s sense of self is shaped by their membership in social groups, such as teams, clubs, or communities. Developed by Henri Tajfel and John Turner, this approach emphasises that individuals derive part of their self-esteem and identity from the groups they belong to, leading them to categorise themselves and others as members of “in-groups” and “out-groups.” This group membership influences how people perceive themselves and interact with others, often resulting in group favouritism and a sense of belonging, purpose, and shared identity.

In the context of physical activity, the Social Identity Approach is especially relevant. When individuals identify strongly with a physical activity group—such as a sports team, fitness class, or running club—the sense of belonging and group norms can significantly influence motivation, participation, and maintenance of active behaviours. Group identification fosters social support, accountability, and enjoyment, making individuals more likely to adhere to exercise routines and to feel valued for their contributions. By harnessing the power of group identity, physical activity interventions can be more effective, creating lasting change in health behaviours and promoting a positive, active lifestyle.

This page signposts the reader towards a range of resources on the topic of Social Identity Approaches. Within this reading list and resources, there is a focus on Social Identity and health and in particular, the use of physical activity in health promotion activities.

Key Texts

Haslam, C., Jetten, J., Cruwys, T., Dingle, G., & Haslam, S. A. (2018). The New Psychology of Health. Unlocking the Social Cure. Routledge.

Haslam, S. A., Fransen, K., & Boen, F. (Eds.). (2020). The New Psychology of Sport and Exercise: The Social Identity Approach. SAGE

A recent publication

De Hoog, N., & Pat-El, R. (2024). Social identity and health-related behavior: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 344, 116629. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116629

Bruner, M. W., Dunlop, W. L., & Beauchamp, M. R. (2014). A social identity perspective on group processes in sport and exercise. In M.R. Beauchamp and M.A. Eys Group dynamics in exercise and sport psychology (2nd Ed.). Routledge. 38-52. http://psulibrary.palawan.edu.ph/wtbooks/resources/pdf/908450.pdf#page=69

Cameron, J. E., Voth, J., Jaglal, S. B., Guilcher, S. J., Hawker, G., & Salbach, N. M. (2018). “In this together”: Social identification predicts health outcomes (via self-efficacy) in a chronic disease self-management program. Social Science & Medicine, 208, 172-179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.03.007

Cruwys, T., Haslam, C., Haslam, S. A., Rathbone, J. A., & Donaldson, J. L. (2022). Acceptability and Feasibility of an Intervention to Enhance Social Group Belonging: Evidence From Three Trials of Groups 4 Health. Behavior Therapy, 53(6), 1233-1249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2022.06.011

Cruwys, T., Steffens, N. K., Haslam, S. A., Haslam, C., Jetten, J., & Dingle, G. A. (2016). Social Identity Mapping: A procedure for visual representation and assessment of subjective multiple group memberships. British Journal of Social Psychology, 55(4), 613-642. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12155

Cruwys, T., Haslam, C., Rathbone, J. A., Williams, E., Haslam, S. A., & Walter, Z. C. (2022). Groups 4 Health versus cognitive–behavioural therapy for depression and loneliness in young people: Randomised phase 3 non-inferiority trial with 12-month follow-up. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 220(3), 140–147. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2021.128

Cruwys, T., Haslam, S. A., Dingle, G. A., Haslam, C., & Jetten, J. (2014). Depression and Social Identity: An Integrative Review. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 18(3), 215–238. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868314523839

Cruwys, T., Platow, M. J., Angullia, S. A., Chang, J. M., Diler, S. E., Kirchner, J. L., Lentfer, C. E., Lim, Y. J., Quarisa, A., Tor, V. W. L., & Wadley, A. L. (2012). Modeling of food intake is moderated by salient psychological group membership. Appetite, 58(2), 754–757. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2011.12.002

Cruwys, T., Steffens, N. K., Haslam, S. A., Haslam, C., Hornsey, M. J., McGarty, C., & Skorich, D. P. (2020). Predictors of social identification in group therapy. Psychotherapy Research, 30(3), 348–361. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2019.1587193

Cruwys, T., Wakefield, J. R. H., Sani, F., Dingle, G. A., & Jetten, J. (2018). Social Isolation Predicts Frequent Attendance in Primary Care. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 52(10), 817–829. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kax054

Evans, M. B., McLaren, C., Budziszewski, R., & Gilchrist, J. (2018). When a sense of “we” shapes the sense of “me”: exploring how groups impact running identity and behavior. Self and Identity, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2018.1436084

Draper, G., & Dingle, G. A. (2021). “It’s not the same”: A comparison of the psychological needs satisfied by musical group activities in face to face and virtual modes. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://dx.doi.org/10.3389%2Ffpsyg.2021.646292

Drury, J., Carter, H., Cocking, C., Ntontis, E., Tekin Guven, S., & Amlôt, R. (2019). Facilitating collective psychosocial resilience in the public in emergencies: Twelve recommendations based on the social identity approach. Frontiers in public health, 7, 141.

Evans, M. B., McLaren, C., Budziszewski, R., & Gilchrist, J. (2019). When a sense of “we” shapes the sense of “me”: Exploring how groups impact running identity and behavior. Self and Identity, 18(3), 227–246. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2018.1436084

Fong, P., Cruwys, T., Robinson, S. L., Haslam, S. A., Haslam, C., Mance, P. L., & Fisher, C. L. (2021). Evidence that loneliness can be reduced by a whole-of-community intervention to increase neighbourhood identification. Social Science & Medicine, 277, 113909. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113909

Franke, T., Sims-Gould, J., Nettlefold, L., Ottoni, C., & McKay, H. A. (2021). “It makes me feel not so alone”: Features of the Choose to Move physical activity intervention that reduce loneliness in older adults. BMC Public Health, 21(1), 312. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10363-1

Fransen, K., Cruwys, T., Haslam, C., Iserbyt, P., Seghers, J., Vanderlinden, J., van Uffelen, J., Verbaanderd, E., & Boen, F. (2022). Leading the way together: A cluster randomised controlled trial of the 5R Shared Leadership Program in older adult walking groups. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 19(1), 63. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-022-01297-x

Gallagher, S., Meaney, S., & Muldoon, O. T. (2014). Social identity influences stress appraisals and cardiovascular reactions to acute stress exposure. British Journal of Health Psychology, 19(3), 566–579. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12056

Grant, F., Hogg, M. A., & Crano, W. D. (2015). Yes, we can: Physical activity and group identification among healthy adults. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 45(7), 383-390. https://doi.org/10.1111/jasp.12305

Greenaway, K. H., Cruwys, T., Haslam, S. A., & Jetten, J. (2016). Social identities promote well‐being because they satisfy global psychological needs. European Journal of Social Psychology, 46(3), 294-307. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2169

Greenaway, K. H., Haslam, S. A., Cruwys, T., Branscombe, N. R., Ysseldyk, R., & Heldreth, C. (2015). From “we” to “me”: Group identification enhances perceived personal control with consequences for health and well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 109(1), 53–74. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000019

Haslam, C., Bertschy, K., Cruwys, T., Griffin, J., & Johnson, D. (2022). The group mechanism in treatment: Group identification and cohesion contributes to reducing chronic lower back pain by increasing personal control. Disability and Rehabilitation, 0(0), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2022.2057602

Haslam, C., Cruwys, T., & Haslam, S. A. (2014). “The we’s have it”: Evidence for the distinctive benefits of group engagement in enhancing cognitive health in aging. Social Science & Medicine, 120, 57–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.08.037

Haslam, C., Cruwys, T., Haslam, S. A., Dingle, G., & Chang, M. X. L. (2016). Groups 4 Health: Evidence that a social-identity intervention that builds and strengthens social group membership improves mental health. Journal of Affective Disorders, 194, 188-195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.01.010

Haslam, S. A., Gaffney, A. M., Hogg, M. A., Rast, D. E., & Steffens, N. K. (2022). Reconciling identity leadership and leader identity: A dual-identity framework. The Leadership Quarterly, 33(4), 101620. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2022.101620

Haslam, C., Haslam, S. A., Jetten, J., Cruwys, T., & Steffens, N. K. (2021). Life Change, Social Identity, and Health. Annual Review of Psychology, 72, 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-060120-111721

Haslam, S. A., Haslam, C., Jetten, J., Cruwys, T., & Bentley, S. V. (2020). Rethinking the nature of the person at the heart of the biopsychosocial model: Exploring social changeways not just personal pathways. Social Science & Medicine, 113566. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113566

Haslam, S. A., Haslam, C., Cruwys, T., Jetten, J., Bentley, S. V., Fong, P., & Steffens, N. K. (2022). Social identity makes group-based social connection possible: Implications for loneliness and mental health. Current Opinion in Psychology, 43, 161-165. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.07.013

Haslam, S. A., Haslam, C., Jetten, J., Cruwys, T., & Bentley, S. (2019). Group life shapes the psychology and biology of health: The case for a sociopsychobiological model. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 13(8), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12490

Haslam, S. A., Reicher, S. D., & Reynolds, K. J. (2012). Identity, influence, and change: Rediscovering John Turner's vision for social psychology. British Journal of Social Psychology, 51(2), 201-218. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8309.2011.02091.x

Häusser, J. A., Junker, N. M., & van Dick, R. (2020). The how and the when of the social cure: A conceptual model of group‐and individual‐level mechanisms linking social identity to health and well‐being. European Journal of Social Psychology, 50(4), 721-732. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2668

Hogg, M. A. (2001). A social identity theory of leadership. Personality and social psychology review, 5(3), 184-200. https://doi.org/10.1207%2FS15327957PSPR0503_1

Hogg, M. A., & Williams, K. D. (2000). From I to we: Social identity and the collective self. Group dynamics: Theory, research, and practice, 4(1), 81. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2699.4.1.81

Hornsey, M. J. (2008). Social identity theory and self‐categorization theory: A historical review. Social and personality psychology compass, 2(1), 204-222. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9004.2007.00066.x

Jetten, J., Branscombe, N. R., Haslam, S. A., Haslam, C., Cruwys, T., Jones, J. M., Cui, L., Dingle, G., Liu, J., Murphy, S., Thai, A., Walter, Z., & Zhang, A. (2015). Having a Lot of a Good Thing: Multiple Important Group Memberships as a Source of Self-Esteem. PLOS ONE, 10(5), e0124609. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0124609

Jetten, J., Haslam, C., & Haslam, S. A. (Eds.). (2012). The social cure: Identity, health and well-being. Psychology Press.

Jetten, J., Haslam, S. A., Cruwys, T., & Branscombe, N. R. (2018). Social Identity, Stigma, and Health. In B. Major, J. F. Dovidio, & B. G. Link (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Stigma, Discrimination, and Health (p. 0). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190243470.013.18

Jetten, J., Haslam, S. A., Cruwys, T., Greenaway, K. H., Haslam, C., & Steffens, N. K. (2017). Advancing the social identity approach to health and well-being: Progressing the social cure research agenda: Applying the social cure. European Journal of Social Psychology, 47(7), 789–802. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2333

Kyprianides, A., Easterbrook, M. J., & Brown, R. (2019). Group identities benefit well-being by satisfying needs. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 84,103836. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2019.103836

Levy, A., Midgley, A., Pilsworth, S., Mcgonigle, A., Wigelsworth, L., Jones, L., Wat, D., Pott, N., Bettany, M., & Matata, B. (2019). Applying the Social Identity Approach to Public Health. A Case Example of Theory in Practice. The European Health Psychologist, 21(1), 595–601.

Martiny, S. E., Roth, J., Jelenec, P., Steffens, M. C., & Croizet, J. C. (2012). When a new group identity does harm on the spot: Stereotype threat in newly created groups. European Journal of Social Psychology, 42(1), 65-71. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.840

Oyserman, D., Fryberg, S. A., & Yoder, N. (2007). Identity-based motivation and health. Journal of personality and social psychology, 93(6), 1011. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-3514.93.6.1011

Platow, M. J., Grace, D. M., & Smithson, M. J. (2012). Examining the preconditions for psychological group membership: Perceived social interdependence as the outcome of self-categorization. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 3(1), 5-13. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1948550611407081

Portman, R. M., Levy, A. R., Mooney, K. M., Whittaker, E. M., & Fairclough, S. J. (2019). Towards an understanding of the social identity approach in exercise referral schemes: A brief commentary. Sport & Exercise Psychology Review, 15(11), 25–30. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=134289112&site=eds-live

Reicher, S. D., Haslam, S. A., & Platow, M. J. (2018). Shared social identity in leadership. Current Opinion in Psychology. DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2018.08.006

Reynolds, K. J., Branscombe, N. R., Suba, E., & Willis, L. (2020). Changing Behavior Using Social Identity Processes. In M. Hagger, L. Cameron, K. Hamilton, N. Hankonen, & T. Lintunen (Eds.), The Handbook of Behaviour Change (pp. 225–236). https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108677318.016

Rowe, L. F., & Slater, M. J. (2021). Will ‘we’ continue to exercise? The associations between group identification, identity leadership, and relational identification on group exercise class adherence. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 6 (3), 670-681. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1747954120987140

Salice, A., & Miyazono, K. (2020). Being one of us. Group identification, joint actions, and collective intentionality. Philosophical Psychology, 33(1), 42-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/09515089.2019.1682132

Sherif, M. (1936). The psychology of social norms. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.264611

Spears, R., Doosje, B., & Ellemers, N. (1999). Commitment and the context of social perception. In N. Ellemers, R. Spears, & B. Doosje (Eds.), Social identity: Context, commitment, content (pp. 59-83). Oxford, England: Blackwell Science.

Steffens, N. K., Haslam, S. A., Reicher, S. D., Platow, M. J., Fransen, K., Yang, J., Ryan, M. K., Jetten, J., Peters, K., & Boen, F. (2014). Leadership as social identity management: Introducing the Identity Leadership Inventory (ILI) to assess and validate a four-dimensional model. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(5), 1001–1024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2014.05.002

Steffens, N. K., Haslam, S. A., Schuh, S. C., Jetten, J., & van Dick, R. (2017). A meta-analytic review of social identification and health in organizational contexts. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 21(4), 303-335. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1088868316656701

Steffens, N. K., LaRue, C. J., Haslam, C., Walter, Z. C., Cruwys, T., Munt, K. A., Haslam, S. A., Jetten, J., & Tarrant, M. (2021). Social identification-building interventions to improve health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Health Psychology Review, 15(1), 85–112. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2019.1669481

Steffens, N. K., Munt, K. A., van Knippenberg, D., Platow, M. J., & Haslam, S. A. (2021). Advancing the social identity theory of leadership: A meta-analytic review of leader group prototypicality. Organizational Psychology Review, 11(1), 35–72. https://doi.org/10.1177/2041386620962569

Steffens, N. K., Rue, C. J. La, Haslam, C., Walter, Z. C., Munt, K. A., Haslam, S. A., … Tarrant, M. (2019). Social identification-building interventions to improve health : A systematic review and meta- analysis. Health Psychology Review, 0(0), 1–66. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2019.1669481

Steffens, N. K., Slade, E. L., Stevens, M., Haslam, S. A., & Rees, T. (2019). Putting the ‘we’ into workout: The association of identity leadership with exercise class attendance and effort, and the mediating role of group identification and comfort. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 45, 101544. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2019.101544

Stevens, M., Rees, T., Coffee, P., Haslam, S. A., Steffens, N. K., & Polman, R. (2018). Leaders promote attendance in sport and exercise sessions by fostering social identity. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 28(9), 2100-2108. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13217

Stevens, M., & Cruwys, T. (2020). Membership in Sport or Exercise Groups Predicts Sustained Physical Activity and Longevity in Older Adults Compared to Physically Active Matched Controls. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 54(8), 557–566. https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaaa003

Stevens, M., Cruwys, T., Rees, T., Haslam, S.A., H., Boen, F., & Fransen, K. (2020). Physical activity. In S.A. Haslam, K. Fransen, & F. Boen (Eds.). The new psychology of sport and exercise: The social identity approach (pp. 167-186). SAGE.

Stevens, M., Fitzpatrick, Á., & Cruwys, T. (2022). The effect of descriptive norms and social identification on performance and exertion during a physical fitness task. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 32(2), 313–323. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.14072

Stevens, M., Rees, T., Coffee, P., Steffens, N. K., Haslam, S. A., & Polman, R. (2017). A social identity approach to understanding and promoting physical activity. Sports Medicine, 47(10), 1911-1918. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0720-4

Stevens, M., Rees, T., Coffee, P., Steffens, N. K., Haslam, S. A., & Polman, R. (2020). Leading us to be active: A two-wave test of relationships between identity leadership, group identification, and attendance. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, 9(1), 128.

Stevens, M., Rees, T., & Cruwys, T. (2021). Social identity leadership in sport and exercise: Current status and future directions. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 55, 101931. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101931

Stevens, M., Rees, T., Steffens, N. K., Haslam, S. A., Coffee, P., & Polman, R. (2019). Leaders’ creation of shared identity impacts group members’ effort and performance: Evidence from an exercise task. PLOS ONE, 14(7), e0218984. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0218984

Stevens, M., White, S., Robertson, A. M., & Cruwys, T. (2022). Understanding exercise class attendees’ in-class behaviors, experiences, and future class attendance: The role of class leaders’ identity entrepreneurship. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, No Pagination Specified-No Pagination Specified. https://doi.org/10.1037/spy0000305

Stevens, M., White, S., Robertson, A. M., & Cruwys, T. (2022). Repeated exercise class attendance: The role of class members' similarity and social identification. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 61, 102212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102212

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Stuart, A., Stevenson,C., Koschate, M., Cohen, J., Levine , M. (2021) ‘Oh no, not a group!’ The factors that lonely or isolated people report as barriers to joining groups for health and well-being. British Journal of Health Psychology https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12536

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Tarrant, M., Haslam, C., Carter, M., Calitri, R., & Haslam, S. A. (2020). Social Identity Interventions. In K. Hamilton, L. D. Cameron, M. S. Hagger, N. Hankonen, & T. Lintunen (Eds.), The Handbook of Behavior Change (pp. 649–660). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108677318.044

Tarrant, M., Haslam, C., Carter, M., Calitri, R., & Haslam, S. (2020). Social Identity Interventions. In M. Hagger, L. Cameron, K. Hamilton, N. Hankonen, & T. Lintunen (Eds.), The Handbook of Behavior Change (Cambridge Handbooks in Psychology, pp. 649-660). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108677318.044

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