1. Collective action is a
collaborative effort that takes
place in groups and diverges from
the social norms of the situation.
2. Theories of Collective Action
According to convergence theory,
collective action happens when people
with similar ideas and tendencies
gather in the same place.
3. Theories of Collective Action
Emergent norm theory emphasizes the
influence of leaders in promoting
particular norms that members of a group
then follow.
4. • Americans have traditionally had high
participation levels in volunteer activities.
• It seems that volunteerism has declined
somewhat in the United States, and one possible
explanation is the influence of the Internet:
people can join groups online and donate money
online to support causes without participating
in any face-to-face meetings or activities.
5. • A social movement is collective behavior
that is purposeful, organized, and
institutionalized. It is interested in
creating, resisting, or undoing a social
change.
• Alterative social movements seek limited
social change and tend to be focused on a
narrow group of people.