Symbolic Action Motivates Further Collective Action by Increasing Identification With the Common Cause

Abstract

Publicly broadcasting one's support for a social cause is often maligned as ‘slacktivism’. We investigate whether such symbolic action by advantaged group members in support of the cause of a disadvantaged group can motivate more concrete collective action when it solidifies a sense of belonging to a common cause. Across four preregistered studies (total N = 1204), voluntary (Studies 2 and 3), but not involuntary (Studies 1 and 4) symbolic action by advantaged group members increased opinion-based identification as part of a cause. This change in identification predicted increased collective action intentions and collective action in the form of donating to relevant charities. Moreover, in Study 3 we also found a significant indirect effect of symbolic action on collective action via increased identification. A competing hypothesis, that symbolic action might demotivate further action by reducing collective guilt, was not supported.