Participation and consensus in collective action organizations: The influence of interpersonal versus mass-mediated channels

The study compares how the communication channels through which members participate in collective action organizations influence their consensual support for primary organizational goals. A survey of members of an environmental action organization revealed that volunteers (who participate through interpersonal and mass-mediated channels) agreed more with dominant leaders' goal rankings than did direct mail members (who participate primarily through mass-mediated channels). When membership structure was held constant, attention to the organizational mass media acted as a stronger predictor of goal consensus than did interactions with other members. The article concludes by discussing the implications of the survey's results for collective action researchers and practitioners.