Identity affirmation and social movement support

Abstract

It is argued that the power of collective identification to mobilize people for collective action such as social movement support derives at least partly from processes of identity affirmation. The hypothesized identity-affirming function of social movement support is tested in two laboratory experiments which revolve around collective identity as a supporter of the peace movement. In Experiment 1, we predicted and found that people who strongly identified with the peace movement showed more movement support (i.e. made more monetary donations to the peace movement) under conditions of uncertain as opposed to certain possession of identity as a movement supporter. In Experiment 2, we replicated this finding, but also found, in accordance with the notion of substitution, that the mobilizing effect of uncertain collectiveidentity possession was undermined when an identity symbol was available that could function as a surrogate for more costly identity-affirming behaviour. 'The ''good'' thing about the Iraq war is that now our peace movement will be strengthened again. ' (anonymous supporter of the peace movement, March 2003)In recent years social psychology has made important contributions to a better understanding of collective phenomena that had long been considered the traditional domain of sociological theorizing and research. More specifically, guided by the social identity or self-categorization perspective (Tajfel & Turner, 1986;Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher, & Wetherell, 1987), social psychological research demonstrated that collective identification is an important determinant of social movement support. From this perspective, social movement support is the enactment of a particular politicized group or social category membership, and collective identification operates as the basic social psychological process underlying movement support (Simon & Klandermans, 2001). Accordingly, social psychological research has uncovered the facilitative role of collective identification in mobilization for political action in various social movement contexts, including the women's movement, the older people's movement, the gay movement, the fat acceptance movement, the farmers' movement and right-wing political movements (e.g. De Weerd & Klandermans, 1999;Kelly & Breinlinger, 1996;Simon et al., 1998; for reviews, see Simon, 2004;Stürmer & Simon, 2004;Wright, 2001).Although the motivation to support a social movement is rarely free from cost-benefit calculations revolving around more tangible interests of the individual and his or her group (Klandermans, 1997), recent research also indicates that collective identification possesses a unique mobilizing power over and above such calculative considerations (Simon, 2004;Stürmer & Simon, 2004). In a first attempt to uncover the psychological process underlying the mobilizing power of collective identification, Stürmer, Simon, Loewy and Jörger (2003) predicted and found that a sense of inner obligation to

The Next Generation of Collective Action Research

“…Collective action can also serve to identify the in‐group as a distinct entity and affirm its dissimilarity from the offending out‐group who unjustly mistreats or oppresses the in‐group. The general point is that collective action can raise the psychological meaning and the perceived status of the in‐group by demonstrating that it is a viable agent, distinct from the oppressive out‐group, even when these actions have no discernable impact on the actual status, resources or the physical realities of the group (see Drury & Reicher; Louis; Simon, Trötschel, & Dähne, 2008).…”

Nation and History in the Mobilization of Collective Identity Among LGBT Czechs

“…Simon, Trötschel, and Dähne (2008) conceptualize these two roles as either a "push" to participate from membership in a pre-existing collective identity or a "pull" to participate in order to gain an attractive collective identity: "In the first case I already occupy a place or position in the social world which makes participation for me the natural thing to do. In the second case I am still on my way to that place" (p. 945).…”

Virtual special issue on theory and research on collective action in the European Journal of Social Psychology

“…Social psychological research on collective action has a relatively short history. The study of collective phenomena has long been located in the realm of sociological theory and research (e.g., Simon, Trötschel, & Dähne, 2008). Mirroring this, the first paper on collective action in EJSP was published in 1993 by Kawakami and Dion.…”

“…De Weerd and Klandermans (1999) illustrated that identification with farmers at the national or regional level is an important predictor of participation in political protest. Furthermore, Simon, Trötschel, and Dähne (2008) demonstrated that collective action participation can be regarded as an identity affirmation strategy that expresses and confirms a desired but uncertain social identity.…”