Collective identification and social movement participation.

Abstract

Determinants of collective behavior, as suggested by social identity or self-categorization approach and social movement research, were examined in 2 field studies. Study 1 was conducted in context of older people's movement in Germany and Study 2 in context of gay movement in United States. Both studies yielded similar results pointing to 2 independent pathways to willingness to participate in collective action; one is based on cost-benefit calculations (including normative considerations), and other is based on collective identification as an activist. Study 2 included an experimental manipulation and provided evidence for causal role of collective identification as an activist. Directions for future research on proposed dual-pathway model are suggested. Members of disadvantaged groups who do not want to passively accept their lot have to find ways to improve their situation. To do so, they can adopt a variety of strategies that can range from individual strategies of social mobility to collective strategies of social change. The former rest on belief that one's own position can be improved by moving from one social position to another as an individual (Tajfel, 1981). These individual strategies thus involve leaving a disadvantaged group physically or at least psychologically. Collective strategies, on other hand, are adopted to extent that a person believes that the only way for him to change these [disadvantageous] conditions ... is together with his group as a whole (Tajfel, 1981, p. 247). Collective strategies include not only militant forms of intergroup behavior or collective action such as revolts and strikes but also more moderate forms such as signing a petition or attending a group meeting. Although individual social mobility strategies are often pre