objects/participation-threshold.html

Threshold for Participation in Environmental Activities

Rational people would join in when their expected benefit was positive.

variations in individuals

• different perceptions
• different sensitivities to the problem

"tipping point" or "critical mass"

• enough people have joined
• becomes an effective movement

Not all movements have to be based on rational action

Elizabeth Jean Wood (2003) "Insurgent collective action and civil war in El Salvador"

• reasons to participate
  • rational - good for the participants or their families
  • defiance - fed up with injustices
  • pleasure in agency - like to be part of an effective movement
• parallels to environmental action
  • cleaner water
  • upset at corporate polluters - they need to be punished
  • people want to be part of a group that shares their values

Emergence of collective action

each person has about a 20% chance of joining in large group - the general populace with 100 people - approximately 20 would be active
small groups within medium groups within the larger population groups of 4 or 5 some of these groups will, just by chance, have 3 joiners each of those groups all join in the next level has the same structure it is easier to start a cascade the cascade is a function of the structure and linkage of the groups