The role of rationality in motivating participation in social movements: The case of anti-Japanese demonstrations in China

This study proposes a theoretical model that integrates the rational approach with the structural and cultural approaches to explain motivations for participation in social movements. In this integrative model, rational perceptions about the benefits and costs of participation have both mediation and interaction relations with structural and cultural motivators. First, rational perceptions mediate the motivating effects of interpersonal ties to prior participants and collective identity. Interpersonal ties and collective identity construct individuals’ perceived benefits and costs, which in turn affect their participation motivations. Second, perceived benefits and costs also interact with interpersonal ties and collective identity in affecting participation motivations. Interpersonal ties and collective identity may affect how sensitive the individual is to the formed rational perceptions. Especially, interpersonal ties weaken the motivating effect of perceived benefits. We apply this model to the case of China’s recent nationwide anti-Japanese demonstrations. Using original data from a large-scale survey on 1458 university students in Beijing, we find this integrative model effective in explaining university students’ motivations to participate in future anti-Japanese demonstrations.