How social pressure affects political participation: experiments with e-petitions

Helen Margetts; Peter John; Tobias Escher; Stéphane Reissfelder

How social pressure affects political participation: experiments with e-petitions

Helen Margetts, Peter John, Tobias Escher, Stéphane Reissfelder

Politics

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

This paper tests the hypothesis that social information provided by the internet makes it possible in large groups to exert social influence that Olson considered viable only for smaller groups. In two experiments - laboratory and field - subjects could choose to sign petitions and donate money to support causes. Participants were randomised into treatment groups that received varying information about how many other people had participated and control groups receiving no social information. Results suggest that social information has a varying effect according to the numbers provided, strongest when there are more than a million other participants, lending support to the social information hypothesis and to claims about critical mass and tipping points in political participation.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Political Studies Association Annual Conference, 7-9 April 2009, University of Manchester
Publication status	Published - 9 Sept 2009
Event	European Consortium of Political Research - Berlin, Germany Duration: 10 Sept 2009 → 16 Oct 2009

Conference

Conference	European Consortium of Political Research
City	Berlin, Germany
Period	10/09/09 → 16/10/09

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Cite this

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title = "How social pressure affects political participation: experiments with e-petitions",

abstract = "This paper tests the hypothesis that social information provided by the internet makes it possible in large groups to exert social influence that Olson considered viable only for smaller groups. In two experiments - laboratory and field - subjects could choose to sign petitions and donate money to support causes. Participants were randomised into treatment groups that received varying information about how many other people had participated and control groups receiving no social information. Results suggest that social information has a varying effect according to the numbers provided, strongest when there are more than a million other participants, lending support to the social information hypothesis and to claims about critical mass and tipping points in political participation.",

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year = "2009",

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note = "European Consortium of Political Research ; Conference date: 10-09-2009 Through 16-10-2009",

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AU - Margetts, Helen

AU - John, Peter

AU - Escher, Tobias

AU - Reissfelder, Stéphane

PY - 2009/9/9

Y1 - 2009/9/9

N2 - This paper tests the hypothesis that social information provided by the internet makes it possible in large groups to exert social influence that Olson considered viable only for smaller groups. In two experiments - laboratory and field - subjects could choose to sign petitions and donate money to support causes. Participants were randomised into treatment groups that received varying information about how many other people had participated and control groups receiving no social information. Results suggest that social information has a varying effect according to the numbers provided, strongest when there are more than a million other participants, lending support to the social information hypothesis and to claims about critical mass and tipping points in political participation.

AB - This paper tests the hypothesis that social information provided by the internet makes it possible in large groups to exert social influence that Olson considered viable only for smaller groups. In two experiments - laboratory and field - subjects could choose to sign petitions and donate money to support causes. Participants were randomised into treatment groups that received varying information about how many other people had participated and control groups receiving no social information. Results suggest that social information has a varying effect according to the numbers provided, strongest when there are more than a million other participants, lending support to the social information hypothesis and to claims about critical mass and tipping points in political participation.

M3 - Conference contribution

BT - Political Studies Association Annual Conference, 7-9 April 2009, University of Manchester

T2 - European Consortium of Political Research

Y2 - 10 September 2009 through 16 October 2009

ER -

How social pressure affects political participation: experiments with e-petitions

Abstract

Conference

UN SDGs

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