Self-Categorization and In-Group Formation Among Iranian Children in Australia; A Replication and Extension

Abstract Social categorization theory maintains that the awareness of belonging to a common category is the necessary and sufficient condition for group formation. In a study of 131 Iranian children in 2 ethnic schools in Sydney and Wollongong, Australia, the effects of social categorization on group preferences were examined by applying the social identification model. The results suggest that ethnic self-categorization alone was not associated with in-group formation. Significant variations in the participants' group formations were explained through the use of multiple regression analysis. Results showed that the most powerful predictors of high in-group formation were low out-group integration and high ethnic pride.