How settings change people: Applying behavior setting theory to consumer‐run organizations

Abstract

AbstractSelf‐help initiatives stand as a classic context for organizational studies in community psychology. Behavior setting theory stands as a classic conception of organizations and the environment. This study explores both, applying behavior setting theory to consumer‐run organizations (CROs). Analysis of multiple data sets from all CROs in Kansas provide insight into how organizational size influences member participation, how members benefit from participation, and how behavior setting theory may need to be revised. Results suggest that members do benefit from participation. However, individual involvement in organizational planning and decision making does not appear to be the primary factor leading to member benefit. The predictions of behavior setting theory are found to be true, but results suggest that these predictions provide an incomplete picture of CROs. The incorporation of roles as a unit of analysis within behavior settings is suggested to improve the explanatory power of this theory. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.