Integrating who “we” are with what “we” (will not) stand for: A further extension of the Social Identity Model of Collective Action

Abstract

Collective action refers to any action that individuals undertake as group members to pursue group goals such as social change. In this chapter, we further extend the Social Identity Model of Collective Action (SIMCA) by including not just (politicised) identity but also moral motivations into its core, effectively integrating who "we" are with what "we" (will not) stand for. Conceptually, we utilise self-categorisation theory's notion of normative fit to elaborate this special relationship between the moral and identity motivations for collective action. Empirically, we review two research projects (the experimental and survey-based Value-Identity Fit Project and the longitudinal Politicisation Project) that both suggest that the SIMCA needs to be extended to include, both conceptually and empirically, a broader range of (violated) moral beliefs and a focus on identity content. We discuss key implications of expanding the core of the SIMCA for the social psychology of collective action and social change, and suggest new directions for future theorising and research in this field.

Right‐Wing Ideology as a Predictor of Collective Action: A Test Across Four Political Issue Domains

“…Notwithstanding the utility of SIMCA and the three widely studied factors, there is need to investigate other variables that encourage or hinder collective action. Indeed, van Zomeren and colleagues recently recommended moral beliefs as a fourth motivator of collective action (van Zomeren, Kutlaca, & Turner‐Zwinkels, ; van Zomeren, Postmes, & Spears, ). Of relevance to the current research, the role of ideology is notably absent from these models.…”

Greens or space invaders: Prominent utopian themes and effects on social change motivation

“…As van Zomeren et al. () note, identity content is a neglected area in collective action research, and utopian visions offer a valuable way forward.…”

“…Utopian visions are ideals for collectives, and therefore we can consider the pursuit of utopian visions as a form of collective action. Because cognitive alternatives can develop well in advance of a sense of social identity, however, behaviour motivated by utopian visions does not necessarily fall within the standard forms of collective action conceptualised within the current literature (such as the Social Identity Model of Collective Action, SIMCA; van Zomeren et al., , ). Collective action has typically been conceptualised in social psychology as action taken by members of disadvantaged groups to improve the conditions of that group (see Wright, Taylor, & Moghaddam, ).…”

“…Van Zomeren et al. () propose that this process occurs as a precursor to the development of perceptions of group‐based injustice and efficacy, but beyond this articulation, cognitive alternatives remain unexamined in social change research (see van Zomeren et al., ). However, as Jost, Badaan, Goudarzi, Hoffarth, and Mogami () noted in their recent commentary on system justification theory, utopian visions represent a form of cognitive alternative that can be investigated in detail.…”

“…In this article, we examine whether these utopian visions have differential impacts on people's motivation to engage in action to change their society. In doing so, we consider how utopian thinking is relevant to, but applicable beyond, collective action as conceptualised in contemporary social psychology (van Zomeren, Kutlaca, & Turner‐Zwinkels, ; van Zomeren, Postmes, & Spears, ). In particular, we argue that utopian thinking is a process that generates a cognitive alternative —a cognitive representation that presents an alternative to the status quo, without which social change may not occur (Tajfel & Turner, ).…”