Implicit Self and Identity

We provide an overview of research on the implicit social cognition of self and identity. We limit our coverage to aspects of the self that emerge when (1) viewed in the context of social group memberships and (2) measured via thoughts and feelings that are not consciously controllable or within awareness. We begin with research paradigms that link the study of self with social group and proceed to specific analyses of basic preference for the ingroup and other attributes associated with the self. We then include analyses of implicit self and identity processes as viewed in research on self-evaluation, performance and behavior, and goal pursuit. In the next major section, we attend to the top-down influence of societal and cultural factors on the construction of implicit self and identity. Together, the research we review reveals the plasticity of the self as it is shaped by the demands of social group and culture