Mirrors with unflattering reflections: moral rebels as fuel for social inertia or social change?
Year: 2023
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Individuals who deviate from majority practices based on moral objections can be crucial catalyzers of social change. However, according to prior work, these “moral rebels” are commonly met with defensiveness. Therefore, ironically, they may slow down social change. This reasoning implies that rebels should avoid triggering defensiveness for the benefit of social change, for example, by downplaying the moral nature of their objections to the status quo. The present thesis, however, argues that covering up one’s moral objections can impede social change. First (CH1), I explain that defensiveness is not necessarily detrimental to change, but can signal potential for future change: it is a symptom of observers experiencing ethical dissonance. I then discuss how rebels could 'talk' about change in ways that maximizes the chances of observers translating dissonance into change. Second (CH2), I empirically test a communication strategy that may aid rebels to reduce defensiveness in others – signaling compassion. And finally (CH3), I empirically show why previous research may have mistaken a lack of immediate behavior change for a lack of influence: moral rebels do change others’ behavior, but often in indirect ways.
Author: Brouwer, Claire
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7067593110