Research article summary (published 19 Jul 2009):

Aligning identities, emotions, and beliefs to create commitment to sustainable social and political action.

Full Abstract

In this article the authors explore the social psychological processes underpinning sustainable commitment to a social or political cause. Drawing on recent developments in the collective action, identity formation, and social norm literatures, they advance a new model to understand sustainable commitment to action. The normative alignment model suggests that one solution to promoting ongoing commitment to collective action lies in crafting a social identity with a relevant pattern of norms for emotion, efficacy, and action. Rather than viewing group emotion, collective efficacy, and action as group products, the authors conceptualize norms about these as contributing to a dynamic system of meaning, which can shape ongoing commitment to a cause. By exploring emotion, efficacy, and action as group norms, it allows scholars to reenergize the theoretical connections between collective identification and subjective meaning but also allows for a fresh perspective on complex questions of causality.

Author information

Author/s: Thomas, Emma F (EF); McGarty, Craig (C); Mavor, Kenneth I (KI);

Affiliation: Australian National University, Canberra. emma.thomas(-atsign-)anu.edu.au.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Review

Journal: Personality and social psychology review : an official journal of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc (Pers Soc Psychol Rev), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Aug; vol 13 (issue 3) : pp 194-218

Dates: Created 2009/08/19; Completed 2009/09/28;

PMID: 19622800, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 9/28/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Culture Emotions Group Processes Humans Judgment Models, Psychological Motivation

Politics Power (Psychology) Self Efficacy Social Change Social Conformity Social Identification Social Justice

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