The Role of Casinos in Social Identity Formation

Urban casinos contribute significantly to the economic development of their host urban communities, but can have unfavorable social repercussions as well. Most notably, urban casinos may lead to crime as well as create unwelcome businesses such as pawn shops and payday loans that contribute little to economic development or local economies overall.

Studies utilizing exposure and adaptation theory perspectives have highlighted casino proximity as an influential ecological factor for gambling participation. Gambling communities also play a crucial role in identity formation as they provide a venue to form or strengthen gambling- or gaming-related identities (Jarvinen-Tassopoulos 2016; Mudry and Strong 2013).

Social Capital

Researchers do not agree on an exact definition of Social Capital; however, most agree it results from the combination of various aspects, including trust, reciprocity, networks and networks (Narayanan and Pritchett 1999). Furthermore, Social Capital is highly contextual and difficult to compare across different contexts (Narayanan & Pritchett 1999).

Studies have demonstrated that social capital bonds were formed when employees from two departments collaborated on projects such as graphic design or frontline retail workers taking care of walk-in customers. Bridging SC successfully can also result in positive economic or welfare-enriching activities.

On the other hand, social capital can lead to negative results when groups shaped around identities that promote criminal behavior, intolerance or violence (such as gangs and the Ku Klux Klan). While group-specific Social Capital may increase internal solidarity it has less perceived value for society due to negative externalities.

Social Interaction

Social identity literature varies considerably and it can be challenging to estimate reliable effects with only one sample. Furthermore, finding moderators between different aspects of social identity and integration may prove to be challenging.

This study employs a repeated-measures design to explore how various forms of social interactions influence social identity formation and integration. Researchers used this approach to conduct an in-depth examination of 102 participants who were asked to describe both positive and negative social interactions that took place recently, followed by analysis by trained coders using an open-format approach. The codes were then examined for various features, such as closeness and the nature of their social interactions, assessed using closed-format questions. Finally, these data were evaluated for correlation with social integration; finally a model was constructed to assess these relationships between variables.

Social Norms

Social norms are the implicit rules that regulate behavior within groups and societies, such as forming lines in stores, saying “bless you” when someone sneezes, and holding the door open for people entering after you (descriptive norms). Furthermore, unlike common practices or desires that set expectations or desires without accountability mechanisms in place (injunctive norms), norms act to hold individuals responsible for their actions (injunctive norms).

Individuals often conform to group expectations out of human needs for belonging and approval, and failing to do so may result in isolation or punishment from fellow members. Christina Bicchieri notes that these norms may form through identity-validation mechanisms which in turn affect motivation for following them.

Change of social norms is difficult; even massive social costs associated with corruption or crime don’t cause enough of a shift to occur. Although it may be possible to introduce new beliefs through messages that appeal to members of valued groups, their impact tends to be short-lived.

Community

Communities are socially defined groups who share similar values and beliefs, which in turn influence an individual’s perceptions, behaviors, and sense of belonging. A community can also act as an outlet for self-identity for an individual as it forms their sense of identity.

Social Identity Theory suggests that individuals form their identities through three cognitive processes: social categorization, social comparison and positive differentiation. Social categorization involves perceiving oneself as part of a group with shared characteristics; comparison involves making comparisons of their group to others to assess its social standing and value; positive differentiation occurs when individuals exaggerate similarities with in-group members while criticizing out-group members negatively; this process completes its journey into positive distinction when individuals exaggerate similarities with in-group members while negatively evaluating out-group members negatively.

These identifications influence an individual’s behavior in OKCs, such as posting new ideas and providing support. Such indirect effects have significant ramifications: as one engages more in contribution behavior, their identity as contributors strengthens.