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Promoting Peace and Peace Activism

Promoting Peace and Peace Activism. Winnifred Louis School of Psychology, University of Queensland. Acknowledgements. This research was supported under the Australian Research Council's Discovery funding scheme (project number DP0663937).

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Promoting Peace and Peace Activism

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  1. Promoting Peace and Peace Activism Winnifred Louis School of Psychology, University of Queensland

  2. Acknowledgements This research was supported under the Australian Research Council's Discovery funding scheme (project number DP0663937). Dr. Leda Blackwood, School of Psychology, St. Andrews, Scotland Carla Barnett, School of Psychology, University of Queensland, Australia

  3. Outline • Introduction • Key points to target – agreement, awareness, intentions to act, action • Sustaining membership – gratification, success, values, alternatives • The Brisbane Activists’ study • Psychologists for peace • UQ peace psychology • Discussion – psychological barriers and motives

  4. couch potato problem Mobilizing for a peace rally in the Netherlands, 1980s Klandermans & Oegema (1994) • Did not agree with goals (26%) • Agreed with goals (74%) • Not aware of rally (15%) • Aware of rally (59%) • Did not intend to go (49%) • Intended to go (10%) • Did not go (6%) • Attended rally (4%)

  5. It’s gratifying Friends, peers -> social support Benefits like learning & skill development It’s working Perceiving successes Matching expectations It expresses important values & identities A stake in the work x no attractive alternatives Very important to beginning activists Activist ID fostered by action Group IDs & norms reinforce or conflict Other soc movt competitors? Why stay an activist?

  6. Responsibility Commission > omission Issues in the public eye Costs > benefits Present > future Close > far Concrete, immediate effects and control The relative avoidance of positive peace work Peace activism vs other activism – heartbreaking, abstract, future-oriented, universalist

  7. The 2008-9 Brisbane Activists’ Survey • Time 1 online survey • 58 volunteers • Mean age approximately 43 years (18 - 75) • Predominately female (74%) • 42 different organisations represented with group membership ranging from less than 1 year to over 20 years • approx. 20% are members of other organisations • Time 2 online survey • 49 volunteers • Time 3 online survey • 42 volunteers

  8. Individuals’ beliefs promoting intentions *p<.05; **p<.01 Numbers in parentheses are standard deviations

  9. Individuals’ emotions and intentions

  10. Collective factors

  11. Collective factors, continued

  12. Beliefs and Emotions of the individual Society can change Your action matters Action benefits you Determination But not necessarily anger Group culture Meaning, belonging, pride - identity Others’ approval of particular actions Learning to believe in the benefit of particular actions for your group Promoting action involves

  13. Time 2 • 47% of respondents reported had acted in support of their group’s goals • 53% did not … • 87% of respondents indicated that their group had acted in support of the group’s goals • 13% of groups did not …

  14. We asked people to think about how their group had high or low power • When power was low people reported more determination (M = 5.81) • Compared to high power (M = 4.64) This is a highly functional reaction (though intentions didn’t change). But what about beginning activists?

  15. Time 3 • 33% of respondents indicated they had engaged in activities in support of their group’s goals (esp. disseminating information and educating people) • 66% had not … • Identification -> intentions

  16. Time 3 – other findings • Past action -> higher future intentions • Greater perception of group approval of the behaviour -> higher future intentions • Perceptions of opponent approval had no impact on future intentions • Personal and group benefits -> higher future intentions • But group factors were more important

  17. Psychologists for Peace • An ‘interest group’ of the Australian Psychological Society • Google “psychologists for peace” –cool initiatives and resources • Peace podcasts • Incl pamphlets and posters – feedback welcome!

  18. UQ Peace Psychology • 5 day workshop July 6-10, in Brisbane led by Dan Christie • Activism & academia peace forum: Monday July 13 1-5pm • Seeking activists speakers and audience!

  19. Psychology of Peace • Beliefs • Emotions • Behaviours

  20. Thank you!

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