UNDERSTANDING PROTEST DYNAMICS: SOCIAL IDENTIFICATION, PERCEIVED INJUSTICE, ANGER AND DISOBEDIENT PROTEST IN THE CONTEXT OF THE AMELISWEERD MOVEMENT
Summary
This study examines the influence of social identification, feelings of injustice, and anger on
the willingness of individuals to engage in disobedient protest acts within the Amelisweerd
movement. This research aims to replicate a pathway of the SIMCA model proposed by Van
Zomeren et al. (2008), specifically focusing on the perceived injustice pathway and
incorporating anger as an additional factor. This is done by using a survey study approach
with a sample size of N=50, consisting of individuals aged 19 to 74 years. The results
indicated a significant association between perceived injustice and willingness to participate
in disobedient protest, supporting previous research on the link between perceived injustice
and collective action. The study did not find significant associations between social
identification and disobedient protest intentions, contrary to the SIMCA model's predictions.
Furthermore, the study revealed that social identification indirectly predicted legal protest
intentions through perceptions of unfair police treatment. Consequently, individuals who
strongly identify with the movement may be motivated to engage in legal forms of collective
action, considering the perceived past unfairness regarding the police. While this study has
limitations, including a small sample size and low statistical power, it contributes to our
understanding of the perceived injustice pathway in collective action and highlights the
importance of addressing subgroup differences within the Amelisweerd movement. The
findings suggest that appealing to perceptions of injustice can be a valuable strategy for
motivating collective action, and future research should further investigate subgroup
dynamics within the movement.