Risk Acceptance and Soft Protest in Colombia

• In Event: Experiments on Protest and Collective Action

Abstract

Research in contentious politics often focuses on the group level characteristics that lead to participation in events of contention. Yet it is individuals that decide to incur the costs of participating in episodes of contention. This paper proposes that risk acceptance as a psychological factor aids in explaining participation in protest activity. This psychological prior allows scholars to understand the likelihood of participating in protest across the globe. This paper explores the relationship between risk acceptance and soft protest(online petition) in Colombia. This relationship is explored through an online experiment conducted in Colombia. The findings suggest that individuals that are indeed more risk acceptant are more likely to engage in costlier soft protest activity.

Author

• Amanda Milena Alvarez, Temple University