The influence of separatist identity on normative and nonnormative collective action: The case of Hong Kong and why solitude might help

Abstract

Regional separatist movements can at times lead to violent protests. The present paper reports two studies conducted in Hong Kong that investigated the influence of a separatist identity on the intention to participate in normative versus nonnormative collective action. We also examined social threat from the dominant group and mistrust in the political system as two potential cognitive antecedents to the development of a separatist identity. Across the two studies (Study 1: n = 398;Study 2: n = 200), we found that identifying with the separatist movement in Hong Kong, a politicized collective identity, and with the broader Hong Kong identity were both associated with normative action intentions. Only the separatist identity was associated with nonnormative action intentions, however. In Study 1, we found that perceived social threat and political mistrust had positive effects on the separatist identity. Perceived social threat and political mistrust were found to havesignificant indirect effects on both normative and nonnormative collective action intentions through their effects on the separatist identity. In Study 2, the interaction between perceived social threat and political mistrust had positive effects on the separatist identity. We also found an indirect effect from the interaction of perceived social threat and political mistrust to both normative and nonnormative collective action intentions through the separatist identity. Implications for our understanding of the underlying differences in psychological factors that facilitate separatism and motivate normative and nonnormative collective action are discussed.