A Theory of Images: An Overview

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A Theory of ImagesAn Overview

• Perceived relationships involve beliefs about the
  self and others.
• Social Identity theory (SIT) provides insight
  into how people imagine the self in inter-group
  relations.
• National identities anchor perceived
  relationships and fuel emotions that drive
  sentiment and cognition.
• Balance theory provides insight into how people
  combine sentiments they feel toward others and
  the things they believe to be true about them.
  This can often produce stereotypes that have a
  functional purpose.
• These stereotypical images can reveal the
  underlying beliefs and identities that are
  motivating policy choices.

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Social Identity Theory (SIT)

• Personal and social identity The later derived
  from group memberships
• Social identities shape inter-group as distinct
  from inter-personal relations. They can lead to
  a category-based process.
• In-group bias in perception, judgment and
  behavior.
• Caused by need for positive distinctiveness
• National identification the most consistent
  predictor of xenophobic attitudes

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Will Globalization Affect National Identities?
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What does national identity produce?

• Social capital Willingness to make individual
  sacrifice for the national group
• Mass-based support for leaders seen as advancing
  the national cause of independence.
• Leadership and identity contest in the Middle
  East.
• State nations (Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq)
• Ethnic nations (Turkey, Iran, Arab, Azeri, Kurd,
  Israeli)
• Religious nation (Islamic ummah)

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National identity and chauvinism

• How are patriotism, nationalism and chauvinism
  different?
• Can there be a liberal nationalism? Is terminal
  loyalty as the highest value consistent with
  individual freedom?
• Can we enjoy the benefits of social capital
  without the negative effects of chauvinism?
• Does emotional attachment to in-groups
  necessarily mean discrimination against
  out-groups?

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Social Identity and Stereotyping

• Categorization and stereotyping cannot be
  understood as solely information-processing
  device simplifying and facilitating thinking.
• Stereotyping relates to inter-group relations in
  a way that links to social identity processes
• Stereotypes play a functional role protecting
  positive distinctiveness (i.e. a positive view of
  ones group and self.)

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Balance TheoryFritz Heider

• People are uncomfortable when the sentiments the
  feel toward someone else, conflict with the
  attributes they associate with that other person.
• There is an inclination to balance sentiment and
  cognitive beliefs, see positive attributes in
  groups you like and negative attributes in groups
  you dont like.

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O
P
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What Drives Sentiment?

• Three key judgments working together as a gestalt
  (an integrated impression).
• Goal interdependence
• Relative power
• Relative status

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Perceived RelationshipsThree dimensional
gestalts
Cultural Status

• Goal interdependence

Superior
Comparable
Inferior
Barbarian
1
Superior
Imperialist
Conflict Perceived Threat
6
Comparable
Enemy
4
Capability
Inferior
7
8
9
10
11
12
Superior
Mutual Gain
Capability
Ally
13
15
Comparable
Inferior
16
17
18
Superior
19
20
21
Opportunity To exploit
Capability
Comparable
22
Degenerate
24
Inferior
Colony
25
26
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Gestalts Associate with Emotions

• Emotion and perception may be a dual process
  difficult to untangle causation.
  Emotion-motivation-thought-action tendencies
• Enemy
• respect, - anger, fear
• Ally
• trust, - jealousy, annoyance
• Colony
• Parental affection (pride), - disgust (contempt)
• Imperialist
• gratitude, security, - fear, hatred

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Emotionally Charged Gestalts lead to balanced
stereotypes

• Image of the other is motivated by social
  identity, perceived threats and opportunities the
  group faces.
• Personal interest might be conflated with the
  group interest and multiple group identities
  might be integrated.
• Image of other will allow self-serving action
  released from moral prohibition, thus protecting
  self-esteem

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The Enemy Image
Subjects description of targets decision-making
process
Subjects description of targets capability

• Subjects description of
• Targets motivation

Leaders are bound By common cause out-group Homog
eneity Able to plot and Execute complex plots
and conspiracies
Evil, aggressive and unlimited. Non-defensive
motives Economic Messianic Communal Governmental
Enemys strength Derives from our Weakness and
inaction Strong will and resolve On our part
will reveal Enemy to be a paper
tiger. Confidence in domestic Weakness will
override Empirical evidence of capability
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The Ally Image
Subjects description of targets decision-making
process
Subjects description of targets capability

• Subjects description of
• Targets motivation

Entirely defensive, cooperative
and Benign Peaceful Altruism as Much
as Self-interest
Largely patriotic public willing to sacrifice
for country Popularity of government enhances
its strength
Well managed and organized but very complicated
and slow moving because it delivers so many
services to people and abides by popular will.
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The Imperialist Image
Subjects description of targets decision-making
process
Subjects description of targets capability

• Subjects description of
• Targets motivation

Enormous almost omnipotent Sees all problems
as caused by great powers Conspiracy Rules
through the hidden hand of local agents
Manipulated by elites with Interests in the
colony. Ruled by small elite Little
awareness of diversity in opinion in the
decisional process
Economic gain Loot and investment Self-serving
geo- strategic advantage Any claims of
moral purpose seen as hypocrisy and dishonest
16
The Colony Image
Subjects description of targets decision-making
process
Subjects description of targets capability

• Subjects description of
• Targets motivation

Dichotomy good v. bad leaders moderate v.
extremist No middle ground No real
nationalism Moderates driven by economic
development and cultural progress Radicals
driven by self-interest xenophobic
hatred. Often seen as puppets of enemy great power
Moderates need Tutelage like bright
children Lack skill experience to run
government, industry, technology Radicals
confuse slogans with solutions Dogma for
intelligence Can only do violence Their
fanaticism helps so do foreign agents
Chaotic and in need of institutional order. Not
ready for mass politics, people Not able to play
role as citizens. Strong leadership needed. Rad
icals seen as able to plot sinister
conspiracy but not govern. Dictatorial within
the radical camp.