JOINING AND SUPPORTING PUBLIC INTEREST GROUPS: A NOTE ON SOME EMPIRICAL FINDINGS
In: The Western political quarterly: official journal of Western Political Science Association, Band 36, Heft 3, S. 386-399
ISSN: 0043-4078
PREVIOUS WORKS BY OLSON, SALISBURY, MOE AND OTHERS HAVE OFFERED SEVERAL PROPOSITIONS ABOUT WHY PEOPLE JOIN INTEREST GROUPS. THIS PAPER EXTENDS THIS PAPER EXTENDS THIS LINE OF RESEARCH BY EXPLORING THE REASONS WHY CITIZENS JOIN AND SUPPORT PHILANTHROPIE OR PUBLIC INTERST GROUPS IN THE ABSENCE OF THE SELECTIVE INCENTIVES SO IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN SUPPORT FOR GROUPS WITH AN ECONOMIC FOCUS. USING A SAMPLE OF 882 SUPPORTERS OF HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS IN THE U.S., THE AUTHORS EXAMINE THE MOTIVATIONS OF INDIVIDUALS FOR JOINING GROUPS, THEIR SATISFACTION WITH THE GROUPS, AND THE ROLE OF MATERIAL INCENTIVES IN A DECISION TO STAY OF LEAVE THE GROUPS. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT CITIZENS SUPPORTING THESE GROUPS DO NOT DO SO PRIMARILY ON THE BASIS OF ECONOMIC OR SELECTIVE CONSIDERATIONS. RATHER, AGREEMENT WITH THE GOALS AND ACTIONS OF THE ORGANIZATION OVERRIDE SELECTIVE FACTORS IN DETERMINING SATISFACTION AND CONTINUED ASSOCIATION WITH THE GROUP.