Perceived threat, injustice appraisal and willingness to join progressive collective action

Abstract

AbstractCollective actions are the activities which are aimed at improving social group’s conditions. Presented studies were conducted to examine if perceived threat is connected to the tendency to engage in collective actions, and if this relation is mediated by injustice appraisal and stronger identification with in-group. Four studies were conducted in two social contexts of collective action: newly formed woman’s rights movement with a focus on opposing abortion ban in Poland, and progressive movements advocating equality of marriage for LGBT community. Both topics are strongly present in Polish social debate in recent years. Results show a significant link between perceived group threat and the tendency to participate in group action. This relationship is mediated by injustice appraisal and group identification–the more members of in-group and their allies perceived out-group as threatening, the stronger feeling of unjust treatment and identification with the discriminated groups. In turn identification is connected to the motivation to act collectively.