1. Motivational Theories of Collective Behavior and Collective Action
SOC 525: Social Movements
Motivational Theories of Collective Behavior and Collective Action

2. 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?

3. 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

4. More Inductive Why do people play baseball? Why do they join churches?
Why do they dress (or not)?

5. Consider Weber on Social Action
Instrumental Rational
Value Rational
Affective
Habitual

6. 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

7. 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?