Jay Van Bavel, PhD. New York University

The Power of Us: Harnessing Our Shared Identities to Improve Performance, Increase Cooperation, and Promote Social Harmony

From trivial groups to political parties, groups are central to how we define ourselves. The concept of social identity is one of the central ideas to emerge in the field of social psychology. In this talk, I will explain some of the key principles of social identity and describe how it impacts our judgments and decision-making. This work reveals how social identity shapes beliefs, intergroup conflict, polarization, social media, public health, and democracy. Finally, I will offer insights about how scientists and leaders might be able to harness the insights of social identity to foster healthier communities, organizations, and societie