Social Identity as a Mediator Between Emotions and Participation in Collective Action: A Comparative Study of Peruvian and Chilean Students

Abstract

This article explores the mediating role of social identity in the relationship between emotions—both positive and negative—and participation in collective action. The study sample included university students from Peru (N = 599; M = 24.5 years) and Chile (N = 592; M = 22.2 years). A structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was used to analyze the data. The findings reveal that, in both countries, social identity mediated the relationship between emotions and collective action, and positive emotions were the key drivers of students’ inclination to engage in collective action. The study concludes that emotions predict collective action through identification with a social movement—in this case, the student movement. Furthermore, the indirect effect of social identity was stronger among Chilean students compared to their Peruvian counterparts.