This is a condensed slide deck from the fifth class in my section of Interpersonal Dynamics (aka Touchy Feely) at the Stanford Graduate School of Business in Winter Quarter 2017.

1. Interpersonal
Photo by Anne Worner [link]
Dynamics
Ed Batista
Class 5:
SOCIAL IDENTITY

2. Same format as Week 3
First 35 mins here
• Brief discussion
• Set up exercise
Remaining 2 hours
• Exercise in T-group rooms
Today’s agenda
Photo by Theresa Thompson [link]

3. Challenge
yourself
Photo by Daniel Oines [link]

4. Social identity
Our focus this week
A theme every week…why?

5. Social identity
Halvorson (Getting to “Us”)
Positive impact in the workplace
Sense of group identity
= Higher morale & productivity

6. Social identity
Henri Tajfel & John Turner
Group memberships shape individual identity
Stems from a basic cognitive process
= Tendency to group things together

7. Social identity
But we exaggerate…
1. Differences between groups
2. Similarities within groups
= Inevitable stereotypes

8. Stereotypes

9. Stereotype threat
Photo by Renato Ganoza

10. Microaggressions
Photo by Igor Spasic [link]

11. Microaggressions
Inadvertent
Not “aggressive”
But impact > intent
Consistent with our emphasis on emotion

12. Emotion
Photo by Jill M [link]

13. Emotion
Social IDs often trigger strong feelings…why?
Many social IDs have status implications
All social IDs involve relatedness

14. Emotion
Difficult conversations usually involve…
Relative status differences
Increased social distance
Likely to trigger a threat response

15. Photo by State Farm [link]
Threat response
Fight
Flight
Freeze
Intended to yield 1 of 3 outcomes…

16. Threat response
Fight (Overpower it)
Flight (Escape from it)
Freeze (Hope it goes away)
Rarely helpful in a difficult conversation

17. A vicious cycle
We rarely discuss social IDs across differences
We fail to develop the necessary skills
When compelled, we’re unprepared
The conversation goes badly
We avoid the topic
Repeat

18. Consciousness
Competence
1
2 3
4

19. 1
2 3
4
Consciousness
Competence
We’re unskilled.
We need guidance.
We’re self-conscious.
We need practice.

20. Next steps
Exercise until 5:50pm; then T-group tonight
(See you tonight, Group 2)
Week 5 Post-Group Assignment due Thurs @ Noon
Week 6 Readings & Class Notes on Canvas
Week 6 Pre-Class Assignment due Mon @ Noon
Next class Tues Feb 14, 3pm here

21. Another exercise
Photo by Heinrich Böll-Stiftung [link]

22. Another exercise
Today’s Pre-Class Assignment
Reflect on 3 types of experiences:
• Stereotype threat
• Recipient of a microaggression
• Caused a microaggression
Be prepared to tell one 4-minute story

23. Another exercise
Fishbowls
In your T-group breakout room
1/2 the group forms an inner circle
1/2 the group observes from an outer circle
With your partner, decide who’s in the 1st group

24. Another exercise
You have a set of instructions
& your facilitators will answer any questions

25. Challenge
yourself
Photo by Daniel Oines [link]

26. To your T-group
Photo by Heinrich Böll-Stiftung [link]
rooms