Strategic Mindsets and Support for Social Change: Impact Mindset Explains Support for Black Lives Matter Across...

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Sociology of Social Movements
• Racial Justice Studies

Background:

• Social movements' success hinges on individual engagement.
• Understanding factors driving support for movements like Black Lives Matter (BLM) is crucial.
• Self-relevance influences how individuals connect with and support social causes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how self-relevance shapes engagement with social movements.
• To examine decision-making processes underlying support for Black Lives Matter (BLM) across diverse racial groups.
• To identify psychological factors predicting BLM support across racial demographics.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies (8-month follow-up) were conducted.
• Participant data collected from Black, Hispanic, Asian, and White American groups.
• Analysis focused on behavioral support and future intentions, introducing the 'impact mindset' construct.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in BLM support levels were observed across racial groups.
• The 'impact mindset' consistently predicted BLM support across all racial groups.
• This predictive power held true both cross-sectionally and longitudinally.

Conclusions:

• The 'impact mindset' is a unifying factor in social movement engagement across racial lines.
• Despite varying interpretations of racial justice, the impact mindset fosters both in-group advocacy and allyship.
• This research highlights a universal psychological mechanism underlying support for the Black Lives Matter movement.