Mind the Like-Minded. The Role of Social Identity in Prosocial Crowdfunding

Abstract

Current social challenges have increased the interest in globally spread collective actions, especially those taking place in virtual space. Crowdfunding is one form of online activism that has recently gained importance. Although research conducted so far indicates the significance of social motives among participants of crowdfunding campaigns, knowledge about the psychosocial mechanisms involved in its effectiveness is limited. This article attempts to reinforce the position of crowdfunding as one of the forms of collective action and to expand knowledge about possible psychosocial factors that could shape participation in crowdfunding campaigns. In three pre-registered studies ( N = 823), we found that the social identity based on a shared worldview positively correlated with the intention to participate in prosocial crowdfunding. Moreover, the relationship between opinion-based group identity and collective action varied depending on participation type (predicted vs. experienced engagement in a campaign). In other words, when people gather in communities built around shared opinions on a given social issue, they develop a sense of community, which can translate into activities for the benefit of the group such as supporting crowdfunding campaigns. However, in the case of actual behaviour, unlike with the declaration of participation, the strength of the relationship with social identity significantly diminishes. The results are discussed in relation to the theory of collective action.