Psychological change as an outcome of participation in collective action

Sammanfattning: Most of us have some experience of collective action, may it be sitting at home on the sofa being annoyed over damage done by rioters, being stuck in traffic due to a demonstration taking place, having signed a petition for a cause we believe in, or taken part in rallies and campaigns. This thesis explores the experiences of participation in collective action and how that participation affects us on a personal level.The present thesis focuses on the range of types of psychological changes that sometimes emerge through participation in collective action, the processes that lead to those changes, and the endurance of the changes. It aims to extend previous research and develop new knowledge and theoretical understanding of the psychological consequences of participation in collective action. This thesis draws upon data from a systematic literature review, a longitudinal interview study with 28 participants from an environmental campaign, and a longitudinal survey of 144 activists. The data was analyzed through thematic analysis (qualitative) and mediation analysis (quantitative).Four original research papers are included in this thesis. Paper 1 gathers all previous literature on collective action and psychological change and provides a typology of change. Paper 2 describe the range and process of psychological changes in one campaign. Paper 3 focuses on the endurance of the changes identified in paper 2. Paper 4 includes both the emergence and endurance processes of psychological change.