Mammalian brain · Social Drives & Status
Social Identity Threat
When a valued group identity is challenged, people defend it with more loyalty, more spending and less thinking; a threatened identity is an open door for anyone selling its symbols.
An everyday example
Doubling down on a brand, a platform or a school after it is publicly criticised.
What it can cost you
Decisions made to defend who you are rather than to serve what you need.
Warning signs
- I am defending something that was criticised.
- Choosing the alternative feels like disloyalty.
One thing to do
Separate the identity from the decision: 'I can be a loyal X and still choose Y here.'
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