Why do people take action on behalf of groups? Integrating perspectives from collective action and behaviour change

Why do people engage in collective action — behaviours that serve to advance the status,
power, and interests of a social group, rather than only of the self? This thesis investigates
the predictors of individuals’ participation in action on behalf of a group, integrating traditional
perspectives from collective action and intergroup relations, with concepts derived from the
literature on self-regulation and behaviour change. Five studies were conducted to examine
predictors of collective action. Study 1 was a large-scale systematic review comprising
seven meta-analyses of the associations between collective action and various predictors
using a dataset of more than 600 studies across a broad range of collective actions by a
broad range of actors. Study 2 sought to predict action by allies in the workplace context,
integrating predictors from contemporary models of collective action and variables from the
theory of reasoned action using hierarchical multiple regression analyses. Studies 3a, 3b,
and 3c investigated, using exploratory factor analysis, reasons for symbolic collective action
among members of the general public, the advantaged group, and the disadvantaged group.
Findings from the five studies demonstrate the value of integrating behaviour change
constructs such as intention, willingness, expectation, past behavior, attitude, subjective
norm, and durability, with predictors from the literature on collective action in order to
advance the prediction of individual’s engagement in collective action, towards the goal of
social change.