Social Identity Exercise
Module 1
60 Minutes
Supplies Needed:
Masking tape, butcher paper to make sign, colored dots (4 colors)
Directions:
Put paper up with 12 social identity categories.
Race
Religion
Sexual Orientation
Ethnicity
National Origin
Language
Gender
Ability (Disability)
Appearance
Sex
Class
Other
>5 Min.
 Pass out stickers and make sure everyone has twelve stickers in total – four different
colors- three stickers per color.
 Explain to participants that you will read a statement to them. Once you read the
statement, they are to put the same color sticker (you will tell them which color) in the
box of their top three choices.
 They are then to find someone they do not know, introduce themselves and talk about
where they put their stickers and why. Each person talks for no more than two minutes –
four minutes per pair.
30 Min.
Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Which social identities are most important to you?
Which social identities make you feel the most unsafe?
Which social identities make you feel the most safe?
Which social identities give you the most power and privilege?
RED
GREEN
BLUE
YELLOW
25 Min.
Large Group Debrief:
Ask the group for volunteers to share some of the answers to question number 1, then question
number 2, then question number 3, and finally question number 4.
Additional Questions:
What did you learn from this experience?
Did anything surprise you about this activity?
University of Michigan