My class at 12 pm got cancelled and I originally thought that I could go to the Jepson Symposium. Later I figured out the presentation was only from 10:30 to 11:30 am during which I had work, so I went to the School of Arts and Science Symposium. I interacted with some students from the psychology department. One of them was presenting on the relationship between teachers’ support and the exclusion and popularity of children with depressive symptoms. There was a significance relationship for exclusion but not for popularity. I questioned the methods used to gather the data because exclusion was teacher reporting while popularity was peer reporting. I also looked at research presentations on other-race effect, advertising and emotions, sexual assault intervention, and an anthropology research presentation on medicalization of Internet addiction in the Chinese society.

Introduction
– What is identity?
o The components of identity: personal identity and social identity
o Focus on social identity: what is social identity
o Introduce social identity theory
o Introduce social identity salience: different identities are salient under different under different situations
– How does social identity create groups?
o Ingroup vs. outgroup
– Intergroup interaction
o How do people interact and communicate differently between and within groups?

My research has been focused a lot on identity. I need to look more into intergroup communication. I still want to talk with Mrs. Hobgood and Dr. Lundberg.

More to read:

Since my research has a large psychology component, I will address my research question mainly with a social science approach. Survey will be used to collect identity related information. An experiment may be designed depending on if the variables can be manipulated. If an experiment is not manageable, a correlation study will be conducted. Other than quantitative data, qualitative data like dialogue transcripts between subjects may be collected and analyzed to assess communication. The research mainly involves human subjects.

I have talked with Dr. Forsyth and Dr. Johnson about my research interests. During the meeting with Dr. Forsyth, we talked through the potential areas and came to a possible research question that how activated or inactivated in-group vs out-group identity influence the communication process like the extent of sharing personal stories? During the meeting with Dr. Johnson who is an expert in interpersonal communication and relationships, I talked about what I care about and why I am interested in certain research topics; he introduced me to two new related concepts that are dialectical theory and cognitive complexity. I also briefly learnt about research methods used in rhetoric and communication studies which are “everything”!
I am a little worried about choosing my adviser. I still want to talk to some professors like Dr. Goethals, Dr. Hoyt, Dr. Lundberg, and Dr. Hobgood. Currently I am at a point where it seems to me that my topic is specific but actually it is not. I cam a little concerned about what direction I am heading into. It is difficult to choose useful readings too.

What leads to the conflict between self-identity and group identity? How can it be addressed? How does interpersonal communication play a role in the process?

Hogg et al. – 2017 – Social identity The role of self in group process

Abrams and Hogg – 2017 – Twenty years of group processes and intergroup rel

I highlighted content in the PDF file and marked some important articles to look up later since this article is an overview of a journal. Normally, when reading articles, I don’t pay much attention to references in the end, but this time they became one of the most important things where I paid attention.

Abrams, D., & Hogg, M. A. (2017). Twenty years of group processes and intergroup relations research: A review of past progress and future prospects. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 20(5), 561–569. https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430217709536
Balliet, D., & Ferris, D. L. (2013). Ostracism and prosocial behavior: A social dilemma perspective. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 120(2), 298–308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2012.04.004
Banki, S. (2012). How much or how many? Partial ostracism and its consequences (Ph.D.). University of Toronto (Canada), Canada. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1350644002/abstract/C5A5C066A9949A8PQ/1
Berger, C. R. (2005). Interpersonal Communication: Theoretical Perspectives, Future Prospects. Journal of Communication, 55(3), 415–447. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2005.tb02680.x
Berman, A. (2017). Relational Group Analysis. A Response to R. Billow: Relational Group Psychotherapy: An Overview: Part II: Relational Models of Group Process, June 2017. Group Analysis, 50(2), 159–165. https://doi.org/10.1177/0533316417703627
Brewer, M. B., & Yūki, M. (Eds.). (2014). Culture and group processes. New York: Oxford University Press.
Butner, J. E. (2002). Social influence and group dynamics: Self -organization in and among groups (Ph.D.). Arizona State University, United States — Arizona. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/304805114/abstract/AA8193B245694FD7PQ/1
Derlega, V. J. (Ed.). (1984). Communication, intimacy, and close relationships. Orlando, Flo.: Academic Press.
Dlugokinski, E. L., & Allen, S. F. (2001). Managing your dynamics to communicate effectively with others. Bristol, IN: Wyndham Hall Press.
Ellemers, N. (Ed.). (2000). Social identity: context, commitment, content (Reprint). Oxford: Blackwell.
Galliher, R. V., McLean, K. C., & Syed, M. (2017). An integrated developmental model for studying identity content in context. Developmental Psychology, 53(11), 2011–2022. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000299
Garner, J. T., & Iba, D. L. (2015). Changes in Eye Contact and Attraction Scores Relative to Ostracism and Dissent. Small Group Research, 46(1), 3–26. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046496414550880
Gudykunst, W. B. (Ed.). (2005). Theorizing about intercultural communication. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publ.
Hogg, M. A., Abrams, D., & Brewer, M. B. (2017). Social identity: The role of self in group processes and intergroup relations. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 20(5), 570–581. https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430217690909
Keblusek, L., Giles, H., & Maass, A. (2017). Communication and group life: How language and symbols shape intergroup relations. Group Processes & Intergroup Relations, 20(5), 632–643. https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430217708864
Montgomery, B. M., & Baxter, L. A. (Eds.). (1998). Dialectical approaches to studying personal relationships. Mahwah, N.J: L. Erlbaum Associates.
Rochira, A. (2014). “We are in the same boat”. The dialogue between identification and dis-identification underlying individual and group positioning. Culture & Psychology, 20(3), 375–386. https://doi.org/10.1177/1354067X14542530
Swol, L. M. V., & Carlson, C. L. (2017). Language Use and Influence Among Minority, Majority, and Homogeneous Group Members. Communication Research, 44(4), 512–529. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093650215570658
Tskhay, K. O., & Rule, N. O. (2013). Accuracy in Categorizing Perceptually Ambiguous Groups: A Review and Meta-Analysis. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 17(1), 72–86. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868312461308
Vorauer, J. D., Cameron, J. J., Holmes, J. G., & Pearce, D. G. (2003). Invisible overtures: Fears of rejection and the signal amplification bias. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(4), 793–812. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.84.4.793
Williams, K. D. (1997). Social Ostracism. In R. M. Kowalski (Ed.), Aversive Interpersonal Behaviors (pp. 133–170). Boston, MA: Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9354-3_7

Keywords: cultural revolution, group dynamics, group psychology, group process, loneliness, self-identity, interpersonal communication

Resources:

Things to research:
Group psychology, interpersonal communication, relationship, self-identity, Cultural Revolution

Possible resources:
Google Scholar, JSTOR, encyclopedia
Psychology: PsycNET, Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection
History: Cambridge Histories Online, historical abstracts, Oxford Bibliographies Online: Chinese Studies
Rhetoric and Communication Studies?