Social Pysch of Groups Final 12 09 2012 Symbols Selves and Social Reality 7 Collective Behavior and Social Movements What are social movements Coalitions of groups that organize to achieve or prevent some sort of social or political change According to resource mobilization theory how do social movements arise and how are they sustained Resource mobilization theorists acquire and use resources to create a movement action frames Framing theorists groups create and distribute effective collective groups of dedicated folks need to o Collective action refers to behavior that people engage in as a group and formulate as a response to problematic conditions often in opposition to existing societal norms Beliefs and meanings that inspire and legitimize movement activities and campaigns define problem and solutions Two types collective behavior and social movements Collective behavior relatively spontaneous activity that a group or crowd engages in often in contrast with social norms as they try to work out a joint response to an ambiguous situation Social movements more highly organized and last for a much longer period of time both socially constructed in ways that express grievances and discontent Political opportunity theorists there must be opportunities to participate Why do people participate in social movements They get involved through o Shared social networks o Bloc recruitment o Frame alignment potential recruits friends and acquaintances recruit groups within network the frame will be aligned with attitudes of Fame resonance a deep connection between a movements frame and expected potential recruits List and explain the four main ways social movement organizations can differ hierarchal or non hierarchal letter writing civil disobedience marches property change policy consciousness raising shut down Structure Tactics destruction Goals Frames What is Collective action frame o Emergent action oriented sets of beliefs and meanings that inspire and legitimize movement activities and campaigns o Developed and designed to help prospective movement members understand what happens around them identify sources of their problems and devise methods for addressing their grievances Frame Alignment o Finding ways to link to the ideology with the attitudes of potential recruits the public members of the established order or other movement groups o Occurs as individuals construct frameworks of meaning that draw on the ideas and beliefs of the movement so that collective action makes sense on a personal level o Belief that unimpeded operation of the authority system will result in or continue an injustice if Obama does not get out of office we still will not have jobs Injustice framework Frame bridging o linkage of two or more ideologically congruent but structurally unconnected frames regarding a particular issue or problem o we move from a frame where we share common grievances with others but do not express them to a frame where we see personal involvement in collective action as the answer Frame resonance o A deep connection between the movement s frame of meaning and the experience emotions and cognitions of its members and or potential recruits What is Collective behavior o Spontaneous forms of collective action new norms emerge which allow for social behavior that would otherwise not be accepted Panic riot or a rumor Emergent norm theory o Perspective that see a crowd as a diverse and heterogeneous group of people who in the face of ambiguous stimuli or circumstances develop a group norm that establishes a framework for action and provides a sense of uniformity Riot o A form of collective behavior in which a large number of people assemble for the purpose of protesting a grievance and from which a violent disturbance may emerge Four phases of a riot o 1 o 2 o 3 o 4 transition claim o 1 What are rumors What are three processes of rumor o Rumors information not substantiated or refuted a truth Can promote mass violence or hysteria o 2 o 3 From lecture on WTO and film This is What Democracy Looks Like What is the WTO The only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations At its heart are the WTO agreements negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments The goal is to help producers of goods and services exporters and importers conduct their business Reasons why people were angry with the WTO o Undermines democracy unelected individuals were representatives in the meetings which were not publishing who votes what and what they were even voting for o Hurts the third world people who were dying and needed medication could not have it can not afford it won t lower price because they want to made a profit off trade What were the main organizations involved in the demonstration and how did their goals structure and tactics differ hierarchal letter writing and march influence trade policy non hierarchical civil disobedience shut AFL CIO Direct action network down the meeting and elections Seattle Police allow labor parade prepared for worse prepared for property destruction radicalize the protest Participants in Black Bloc hierarchal violence arrests prevent DAN protests non hierarchal support civil disobedience What is a three layered intersection blockade How DAN blocked the streets Layers o 1 Center lock down protestors who linked arms o 2 Immediately around them are protectors fed and cleaned those in the center if they were attacked with pepper spray o 3 in background is the flying squads that moved in masses most contact with police chemicals and weapons would be asked to leave one area leave and another group would circle around and fly back in How did the police respond to the blockade Chemical weapons and violence Aggressively push street activists into march AFL CIO would turn march around before getting close to the convention center Police changed their behavior the second day o Visiting shopping malls and mass arrests How did the activists interviewed or giving speeches as well as the film itself construct an injustice frame In what ways may have rumors especially in the mainstream media legitimate police violence in Seattle How did WTO activists and their supporters practice jail solidarity When they were arrested they used fake names Had a vigil surrounding the public safety building They were all released by Sunday and all of their charges were International solidarity protests dropped NOTES