Motivational Theories of Collective Behavior and Collective Action SOC 525: Social Movements Motivational Theories of Collective Behavior and Collective Action
Why Do People Act Socially? Why do they join religious cults? Why do they join churches? Why do they read “women’s fashion” magazines? Why do they play baseball? Why do they go to demonstrations? Why do they participate in social movements?
Theories Collective Choice Collective Behavior Instrumental rational Value rational Irrational: traditional or affective Collective Behavior Mass Society Social disorganization Frustration-aggression, etc. (Freud) Emotional/affectual explanations
More Inductive Why do people play baseball? Why do they join churches? Why do they dress (or not)?
Consider Weber on Social Action Instrumental Rational Value Rational Affective Habitual
Organizational Problems Why do people organize group behavior? Why do people join organizations? How do organizations attract members? Consider Weber’s Legitimate Authorities Legal-rational Traditional charismatic
Levels of Analysis Why do groups form from categories of individuals? Which categories? Why do groups organize? Which groups? Why are organizations institutionalized? Which organizations? How? So what?