Communication and Collective Actions: A Survey Experiment on Motivating Energy Conservation in the U.S.

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toby Bolsen ◽  
James N. Druckman ◽  
Fay Lomax Cook
Keyword(s):  
Collective Action ◽  
Energy Conservation ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Individual Responsibility ◽  
Survey Experiment ◽  
Collective Actions ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Do So

AbstractWhen do citizens take action to benefit the public good, even when individual benefits are scant or non-existent? We address this question with a focus on an area of critical importance when it comes to environmental sustainability—specifically, we examine citizens' actions in the domain of energy conservation. We do so by using a survey experiment to evaluate the impact of exposure to communications posited to shape collective action behavior. We find that communications shape behavior depending on two primary factors not previously studied in concert: to whom responsibility is attributed for collective outcomes; and, what effects, or consequences, are associated with one's actions. We find that communications emphasizing individual responsibility and collective environmental benefits can stimulate collective action.

The psychological dimensions of collective action, online

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Postmes
Keyword(s):  
Collective Action ◽  
Psychological Factors ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Collective Actions ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Mediated Communication ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Psychological Dimensions ◽  
The Way

This article examines the consequences of the migration of collective action into the mediated sphere. It focuses on the impact of the Internet on key psychological factors that are involved in collective action. The structure is as follows. First, the article considers the theoretical backdrop to its themes, focusing first on the classic literatures on crowds and on mediated communication, followed by more contemporary perspectives – identifying the underlying consistencies in the theoretical themes these literatures address. It identifies some key psychological factors that drive collective action. Then the article considers how the Internet changes the nature of collective action and the context in which it takes place. Subsequently, it elaborates how these changes might affect the key factors previously identified. Finally, the article takes a step back from all this and returns to the question of whether this amounts to a revolution in the way collective actions take place.

scholarly journals A Source Like Any Other? Field and Survey Experiment Evidence on How Interest Groups Shape Public Opinion

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Jungherr ◽  
Alexander Wuttke ◽  
Matthias Mader ◽  
Harald Schoen
Keyword(s):  
Interest Groups ◽  
Interest Group ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Group Communication ◽  
Survey Experiment ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
The Public ◽  
High Profile ◽  
Low Profile ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Interest groups increasingly communicate with the public, yet we know little about how effective they are in shaping opinions. Since interest groups differ from other public communicators, we propose a theory of interest group persuasion. Interest groups typically have a low public profile, and so most people are unlikely to have strong attitudes regarding them. Source-related predispositions, such as credibility assessments, are therefore less relevant in moderating effects of persuasive appeals by interest groups than those of high-profile communicators. We test this argument in multiple large-scale studies. A parallel survey and field experiment (N = 4,659) establishes the persuasive potential of low-profile interest groups in both controlled and realistic settings. An observational study (N = 700) shows that substantial portions of the public are unable to assess interest group credibility. A survey experiment (N = 8,245) demonstrates that credibility assessments moderate the impact of party but not interest group communication.

scholarly journals Does Farmland Size Affect the Collective Action in Rural Areas? An Empirical Study on the Public Irrigation System in China

2021 ◽  
Vol 292 ◽  
pp. 01028
Author(s):  
Liangzhen Zang ◽  
Yiqing Su
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
The Public ◽  
Land Circulation ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Agricultural Business ◽  
The Impact

Since smallholders accounted for a high proportion of 98.1% among the 207 million agricultural business households across China, it is particularly important to study the impact of farmland size on the provision of public goods attached to the public sector industries from the perspective of the irrigation collective action in rural areas. Based on the survey data of 283 villages in China, this paper finds that the farmland size has a positive impact on irrigation collective action, although the average of per capita farmland area is only 0.214 hectares in each household of China. Therefore, it is necessary to promote the farmland scale operation by land circulation, so as to improve the ability of collective action and the development of public sector industries in rural areas of China.

scholarly journals Caring for the future can turn tragedy into comedy for long-term collective action under risk of collapse

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (23) ◽  
pp. 12915-12922 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wolfram Barfuss ◽  
Jonathan F. Donges ◽  
Vítor V. Vasconcelos ◽  
Jürgen Kurths ◽  
Simon A. Levin
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Collective Action ◽  
Experimental Testing ◽  
The Public ◽  
Regime Changes ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Commons ◽  
Future Outcomes ◽  
The Impact

We will need collective action to avoid catastrophic climate change, and this will require valuing the long term as well as the short term. Shortsightedness and uncertainty have hindered progress in resolving this collective action problem and have been recognized as important barriers to cooperation among humans. Here, we propose a coupled social–ecological dilemma to investigate the interdependence of three well-identified components of this cooperation problem: 1) timescales of collapse and recovery in relation to time preferences regarding future outcomes, 2) the magnitude of the impact of collapse, and 3) the number of actors in the collective. We find that, under a sufficiently severe and time-distant collapse, how much the actors care for the future can transform the game from a tragedy of the commons into one of coordination, and even into a comedy of the commons in which cooperation dominates. Conversely, we also find conditions under which even strong concern for the future still does not transform the problem from tragedy to comedy. For a large number of participating actors, we find that the critical collapse impact, at which these game regime changes happen, converges to a fixed value of collapse impact per actor that is independent of the enhancement factor of the public good, which is usually regarded as the driver of the dilemma. Our results not only call for experimental testing but also help explain why polarization in beliefs about human-caused climate change can threaten global cooperation agreements.

Marxism and Popular Politics: The Microfoundations of Class Conflict

1989 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 163-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Little
Keyword(s):  
Collective Action ◽  
Conflict Of Interest ◽  
Marxist Theory ◽  
Class Conflict ◽  
Popular Politics ◽  
Accurate Assessment ◽  
Collective Actions ◽  
Adequate Account ◽  
Food Riots ◽  
Do So

A particularly important topic for Marxist theory is that of popular politics: the ways in which the underclasses of society express their interests and values through collective action. Classical Marxism postulates a fundamental conflict of interest among classes. It holds that exploited classes will come to an accurate assessment of their class interests, and will engage in appropriate collective actions to secure those interests. The result is a predicted variety of forms of underclass collective action: boycotts, rent strikes, tax and food riots, rebellion, and revolution. Underclass members of society instigate and support such protests because it is in their material class interest to do so. It will emerge, however, that this account is too schematic to provide a basis for explanation of popular politics. The microfoundations approach to Marxist theory will prove useful in this context because it directs us to some of the resources needed to provide a more adequate account of popular collective action.

scholarly journals L'action d'intérêt collectif

2005 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 553-578
Author(s):  
Pierre Verge
Keyword(s):  
Collective Action ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Legal Protection ◽  
Common Interest ◽  
Personal Interest ◽  
Collective Actions ◽  
Pluralistic Society ◽  
Collective Interest ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Common

Group action is inherent to a pluralistic society. In various fields, numerous bodies purport to defend and promote the common interest of their members which is also the raison d'être of the group. How receptive is the judicial system to attempts by such groups to legally defend the common aim ? « Collective actions » are brought to assure the legal protection of a collective value which is not of a general societal nature as is the public interest. However, their purpose is not to defend the subjective patrimonial interest of the members of the group or even of the group itself. The underlying collective interest is first to be objectively identified in order not to unduly curtail the reception of the collective action; then it is for the Court to establish whether there is a sufficient relationship between the collective interest and the general objects of the group, as officially defined, in order to allow the latter to act. This analysis of the « sufficient interest », as required by Sec. 55 C.C.P., it is suggested, appears to be more adapted to the nature of the collective action than the immediate requirement of a « direct and personal » interest from the group, at least if this notion is to be understood as involving some form of patrimonial interest, as in most trials.

scholarly journals Live-Work Developments : From Theory to Practice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfiya Kakal
Keyword(s):  
Economic Impact ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
The Public ◽  
Built Form ◽  
Well Design ◽  
Mixed Use ◽  
Progressive Planning ◽  
Quantitative Analyses ◽  
Work Units ◽  
The Impact

Live-work developments are becoming increasingly important as a type of mixed-use development. This is manifested by the growing number of such units across the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Along with their growing popularity, these units are being espoused by governments at all levels as a way of creating complete communities, reducing car trips and enhancing the public realm by allowing for a mixed-use, diverse, pedestrian-friendly built form. For these reasons, live-work units can be considered a means for promoting progressive planning principles. Their development however, challenges municipalities on a number of fronts. Residential expectations of peace, security and quiet enjoyment can clash with commercial externalities such as noise, traffic and parking constraints. Because of this live-work units have a tendency to revert to pure residential which then negatively impacts economic growth. Live-work units in a largely residential neighbourhood are particularly prone to such an outcome which can undermine the work function of the units. As well, design and building code considerations such as maximum allowable floor space can also significantly impact the viability of businesses in these units. NOTES 520 3 Given these challenges, this research explores two cases of live-work developments in the Greater Golden Horseshoe to assess their overall impact in meeting the stated goals of such developments. The two cases which are Cornell Village in Markham, Ontario and Port Credit in Mississauga, Ontario respectively are explored from the perspective of sustainability, economic impact and affordability. This research is intended to be exploratory in nature and used as a launch pad for additional, more quantitative analyses of the impact of such developments, particularly with regard to their economic impact in light of increasing immigration. The findings reveal that while both developments have had a certain degree of success in meeting their performative function, live-work units are highly context dependent. And their contributions towards environmental sustainability, job creation and urban development are determined by the economic and socio-spatial milieu in which they are located.

scholarly journals EXPANSION AND INTERNALIZATION OF THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF BRAZIL: THE SCENARIO OF SERGIPE

2019 ◽  
pp. 223-242
Author(s):  
Josevania Teixeira Guedes ◽  
Antonio Quintas-Mendes
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Public Policy ◽  
Federal Government ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Open University ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
The Public ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Do So

This research aims to map the advances of the Open University of Brazil (UAB) in Sergipe in relation to the expansion and internalization of the graduation courses offered, in order to highlight the impact of the public policy promoted by the federal government that seeks to expand and internalize the courses offering and higher education programs, through e-learning. To do so, we performed quantitative research using basic statistics techniques to describe the percentage, mean and standard deviation. The results indicate that the innumerable obstacles to public policy and the lack of recognition of the profession are obstacles to the valuation of the teacher, issues that directly affect the demand of individuals for graduation courses in the country.

Atomic Aversion: Experimental Evidence on Taboos, Traditions, and the Non-Use of Nuclear Weapons

2013 ◽  
Vol 107 (1) ◽  
pp. 188-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
DARYL G. PRESS ◽  
SCOTT D. SAGAN ◽  
BENJAMIN A. VALENTINO
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Weapons ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
The United States ◽  
Survey Experiment ◽  
State Behavior ◽  
The Public ◽  
Conventional Weapons ◽  
Original Survey ◽  
Willingness To Use ◽  
Do So

How strong are normative prohibitions on state behavior? We examine this question by analyzing anti-nuclear norms, sometimes called the “nuclear taboo,” using an original survey experiment to evaluate American attitudes regarding nuclear use. We find that the public has only a weak aversion to using nuclear weapons and that this aversion has few characteristics of an “unthinkable” behavior or taboo. Instead, public attitudes about whether to use nuclear weapons are driven largely by consequentialist considerations of military utility. Americans’ willingness to use nuclear weapons increases dramatically when nuclear weapons provide advantages over conventional weapons in destroying critical targets. Americans who oppose the use of nuclear weapons seem to do so primarily for fear of setting a negative precedent that could lead to the use of nuclear weapons by other states against the United States or its allies in the future.

A Matter of Life or Death: A Survey Experiment on the Perceived Legitimacy of Political Decision-Making on Euthanasia

2019 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 627-650
Author(s):  
Henrik Serup Christensen ◽  
Staffan Himmelroos ◽  
Maija Setälä
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Decision Making Process ◽  
Survey Experiment ◽  
Political Decision ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Political Decision Making ◽  
Do So

AbstractMost representative democracies seem to experience dwindling levels of legitimacy in the eyes of citizens. Nevertheless, it remains unclear what people want from parliamentary decision-making. In this study, we test the impact of outcome favourability, actor involvement and justifications on the perceived legitimacy of a parliamentary decision-making process on euthanasia in Finland. We do so with the help of a survey experiment (n = 1243), where respondents were exposed to a vignette where the treatments varied randomly. The results suggest that outcome favourability is of primary importance, but the involvement of experts and citizens also boost legitimacy in the eyes of citizens. Justifications, or presenting arguments for the decisions, does not enhance legitimacy and may even cause a backfire mechanism where the difference between getting and not getting the preferred outcome is amplified.

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