Impact of positive and negative emotions on protest for institutional reform: An analysis of #EndSars Twitter posts

Abstract

A protest is a collective action undertaken by a group of people to achieve a common goal. Participation in protests is motivated by appraisals of a social condition. The dual pathway model of collective action has been extended to consider both negative and positive emotional paths to protest. This study further shows the prevalence of positive and negative emotions as they differ systematically between the different phases of protest. This study divides the protest period into four phases: before the trigger event, during the trigger event, during the protest, and reform announcement. A sentimental analysis of how positive and negative emotions vary across the four phases of protest was conducted using the Twitter posts of the #EndSARS protest in Nigeria. Findings revealed that both positive and negative emotions co-occur alongside the protest phases. Trust was dominant before the trigger event, fear was dominant during the trigger event, anger was dominant during the protest and joy was dominant following the reform announcement. Findings from this study indicate that fear and anger instigate protest. Anticipation motivates protest and joy is the feeling of satisfaction experienced when the goal of a protest is achieved.