Critical action to redress systemic oppression: a person-centered approach

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Sociology
• Activism Research

Background:

• Public outcry against police brutality in 2020 led to widespread social media use of #BlackLivesMatter (BLM).
• Many users engaged in performative activism, posting black squares without deep engagement with BLM's history or principles.
• A critical action framework is needed to understand varying levels of engagement in resisting systemic oppression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To deeply understand the drivers behind different levels of engagement in activism.
• To distinguish between individuals who engage in more versus less impactful forms of action.
• To inform interventions promoting critical action for social justice movements like BLM.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods, person-centered approach was used.
• 359 undergraduate students who engaged in BLM activism participated.
• Latent profile analysis and qualitative coding were employed to identify subgroups and themes.

Main Results:

• Latent profile analysis identified three distinct subgroups: intentional action, intermediate action, and passive action.
• These subgroups differed in sociopolitical attitudes, sociodemographic background, and activism levels.
• Qualitative coding revealed themes explaining the differing engagement patterns across these groups.

Conclusions:

• The research identified distinct profiles of action within the BLM movement.
• Understanding these profiles is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
• A flexible intervention is proposed to motivate individuals toward more critical and impactful forms of action.