A Case Study of Low Collective Efficacy and Lack of Collective Community Action

Abstract

A mixed-method case study was used to investigate why members of a community do not take collective action to protect their well-being from detrimental neighboring industrial businesses. A hierarchical regression analysis from a self-administered survey (n = 95) shows that low collective efficacy is the main factor contributing to the lack of collective action among the residents (Adjusted R² = .155, df = 1, F = 15.355, p < .001). Data from an informal participant observation and an archived documents review suggest that limited learned helplessness may have evolved in the community and lowered collective efficacy among its residents.

KEYWORDS:

• Learned helplessness
• collective action
• self-efficacy
• mixed method
• environmental challenges

Notes

*Different numbers in the homeowners and renters appear because of missing cases.

*p < .05

**p < .001.